PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Cancer diagnoses linked to lasting financial challenges, studies find

Patients with cancer have higher rates of bankruptcy and debt collections, and lower credit scores for years after their diagnosis

Cancer diagnoses linked to lasting financial challenges, studies find
2024-10-18
(Press-News.org)

Key Takeaways 

Cancer patients are nearly 5 times more likely to experience bankruptcy. 

Studies are the first to use objective data to evaluate the financial fallout for patients with cancer. 

For patients with bladder, liver, lung, and colorectal cancers, the impact on credit scores was larger compared with other types of cancers.  

A diagnosis of cancer can take a toll on more than a person’s health. Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School in Boston found that financial fallout can follow patients with cancer and their families in the form of bankruptcy, lower credit scores, and other forms of financial challenges years after a cancer diagnosis.

Benjamin C. James, MD, FACS, chief of general surgery at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and associate professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School, led research that followed the credit scores and other financial metrics of patients enrolled in the Massachusetts Cancer Registry (MCR). The results of these studies are being presented at the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Congress 2024 in San Francisco, California.

“These are the first studies to provide numerical evidence of financial toxicity among cancer survivors,” Dr. James said. “Previous data on this topic largely relies on subjective survey reviews.”

Key Findings

The first study included 99,175 people who had a cancer diagnosis from 2010 through 2019 and 188,875 non-cancer patients to serve as a control. Researchers matched patient registry data with Experian credit bureau data to evaluate objective financial markers of financial toxicity. 

Patients with cancer had higher rates in total debt collections, medical collections, and bankruptcies. Cancer patients are nearly 5 times more likely to experience bankruptcy. The cancer patients also had average credit scores nearly 80 points lower.

The second study used a sample of 7,227 patients with colorectal cancer and identified a number of factors that correlated with lower credit scores. For example, patients who had only radiation as treatment had credit scores 62 points lower than those who had only surgery, which was used as the “standard” group to compare to. Those who had chemotherapy had credit scores 14 points lower than those with surgery alone. For those who had combination treatments, the difference in credit scores compared with surgery alone varied from 2.59 points higher with surgery and chemoradiation to 15.92 points lower for surgery and radiation. 

The study also found that declines in credit scores are larger for people with bladder, liver, lung, and colorectal cancers, and persist for up to 9.5 years after diagnosis. However, Dr. James noted that the researchers did not directly correlate cancer prognosis with financial toxicity, but that some more aggressive cancers actually have less financial toxicity than cancers with a good prognosis.

“There are certain factors that are associated with worse financial toxicity, including being under the age of 62, identifying as Black or Hispanic, not being married, having an area deprivation index below the median, not owning a home, and having an income below a median of $52,000 a year,” Dr. James added. 

Crunching the Numbers on Cancer’s Financial Fallout

The use of objective, numerical data to evaluate financial toxicity makes these studies unique, Dr. James said. Obtaining the financial data was daunting, he noted. Credit bureaus like Experian are not permitted to share information that identifies individuals, and their data doesn’t meet the privacy standards that health care providers must follow under the Health Insurance Privacy and Accountability Act (HIPAA). To accomplish this study, the MCR securely provided identifiable data to Experian, which then combined it with their credit data and removed any personal details before returning it to the researchers. This complex and careful process took nearly five years to complete, Dr. James noted.

“We are looking years after a diagnosis and we see that the credit score goes down and it never comes back up, which is a first in the scientific community,” Dr. James said.

The studies followed up on findings from the 2015 North American Thyroid Cancer Survivorship Study, which showed that 50% of thyroid cancer survivors encountered financial toxicity due to their diagnosis. Dr. James also contributed to that study.

Dr. James noted the latest study findings were striking because Massachusetts mandates universal health care coverage. “This persistence of financial challenges, even in a state with relatively high insurance coverage, calls for broader policy changes and reforms, including reconsidering debt collection practices,” Dr. James said. “Further research is needed, but I think financial security should be a priority in cancer care.”

Co-authors of the larger study are Jorge L. Gomez-Mayorga, MD; Nishant Uppal, MD, MBA; Anastasia Bogdanovski, MD; Ashley L. O’Donoghue, PhD; Aaron Fleishman, MPH; Rafael R. H. Martin, MD; Iman Abedin, MBBS; Qing L. Hu-Bianco, MD, MS; and Katharine M. Esselen, MD, MBA.

Co-authors of the colorectal cancer subanalysis are Anastasia Bogdanovski, MD; Ashley L. O’Donoghue, PhD; Jorge L. Gomez-Mayorga, MD; Rafael R.H. Martin, MD; Iman Abedin, MBBS; Nishant Uppal, MD, MBA; Aaron Fleishman, MPH; Qing L. Hu-Bianco, MD, MS; and Kristen Crowell, MD, FACS. 

Authors of both studies have nothing to disclose.

Citations:  

Gomez-Mayorga, et al. Dollars and Diagnoses: Mapping the Financial Landscape among Patients with Cancer in Massachusetts (2010-2019), Scientific Forum, American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Congress 2024.  

Bogdanovski A, et al. An Assessment of Risk Factors for Financial Toxicity among Colorectal Cancer Patients in Massachusetts, Scientific Forum, American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Congress 2024.  

# # # 

About the American College of Surgeons  

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. The ACS is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The ACS has approximately 90,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. “FACS” designates that a surgeon is a Fellow of the ACS.  

Follow the ACS on social media: X | Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook 

END


[Attachments] See images for this press release:
Cancer diagnoses linked to lasting financial challenges, studies find Cancer diagnoses linked to lasting financial challenges, studies find 2

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Groundbreaking surgical technique makes combined face and whole-eye transplantation a reality

Groundbreaking surgical technique makes combined face and whole-eye transplantation a reality
2024-10-18
Key Takeaways  The world's first combined face and whole-eye transplantation used personalized surgical cutting guides and a novel “shortcut” to maintain blood flow to the transplanted eye.   Innovative surgical techniques ensured optimal blood flow to the retina, safeguarding the viability of the transplanted eye during the procedure.  An explanation of how an NYU Langone Health surgical team performed the world’s first combined face and whole-eye transplantation will be presented at the American ...

Bariatric surgery is more cost effective than newer weight loss drugs alone

Bariatric surgery is more cost effective than newer weight loss drugs alone
2024-10-18
Key Takeaways  Two new studies shed light on the costs associated with newer weight loss drugs and their use before bariatric surgery.   Long term, the cost effectiveness of bariatric surgery is greater than that of GLP-1 RA weight loss drugs alone, but a combination of the two treatments is more cost effective than surgery alone.  Taking GLP-1 RA weight loss drugs in the year before bariatric surgery is not linked to worse health outcomes within one month after surgery, or significantly different weight loss one year after the operation.  Newer ...

How liver tissue from the international space station may transform tissue engineering

How liver tissue from the international space station may transform tissue engineering
2024-10-18
Key Takeaways:  Microgravity Innovation: The unique conditions of low Earth orbit help to self-assemble human liver tissues with enhanced functionality, compared to Earth-based methods.  Advanced Tissue Preservation: The project includes developing a bioreactor for the stable supercooling preservation of tissues, a critical step toward transporting viable tissues back to Earth.  Clinical Implications: This research could lead to novel stem cell-derived liver tissues, providing ...

Preoperative nutrition program cuts surgery costs and complications

2024-10-18
Key Takeaways  Implementing a system-wide preoperative nutrition program projected an 18% decrease in hospitalization days and a 33% decrease in postoperative complications across multiple surgical specialties.  The program’s financial implications include a projected annual savings of $7.8 million for the payer/insurance sector.  Preoperative nutrition interventions are shown to reduce "outlier days" — hospital days exceeding the expected number — which significantly contributes ...

For younger adults, a colorectal cancer diagnosis impacts their lives much differently than older adults

For younger adults, a colorectal cancer diagnosis impacts their lives much differently than older adults
2024-10-18
Key Takeaways  Young adults with colon cancer are typically diagnosed at a later stage and with a more aggressive type of the disease. There are also racial and ethnic disparities, including a significantly higher rate of colon cancer among non-Hispanic Black adults.   Obesity, family history, inflammatory bowel disease, and symptoms, such as abdominal pain or rectal bleeding, are factors strongly associated with colon cancer in younger adults.   Important concerns for ...

Research alert: A faster, more affordable technique for deciphering the genetics of cancer

2024-10-18
Researchers at the University of California San Diego Center for Epigenomics (C4E) have developed a new technique, called Droplet Hi-C, that allows scientists to rapidly determine chromatin organization, the arrangement of genetic material within cells. Chromatin organization influences how genes are activated in our cells and, in turn, how those cells function. In addition to being faster than existing methods for studying chromatin organization, droplet Hi-C is more affordable, which could make it significantly easier for scientists to understand how genes influence the progression of complex diseases, such as cancer and neurological disorders. The ...

Cancer drug resistance causes and categories identified

2024-10-18
All cancer mutations that cause drug resistance fall into one of four categories. New research has detailed each type, helping to uncover targets for drug development and identify potential effective second-line therapies. In a new large-scale study, researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, EMBL’s European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Open Targets, and collaborators used CRISPR gene editing to map the genetic landscape of drug resistance in cancers, focusing on colon, lung, and Ewing ...

Revolutionizing optical imaging: Breakthrough non-invasive technology for imaging through scattering media

Revolutionizing optical imaging: Breakthrough non-invasive technology for imaging through scattering media
2024-10-18
New study introduces a novel computational holography-based method that enables high-resolution, non-invasive imaging through highly scattering media, without the need for traditional tools like guide stars or spatial light modulators. By leveraging computational optimization, the method drastically reduces the number of measurements required and corrects over 190,000 scattered modes using just 25 holographic frames. This innovation shifts the imaging burden from physical hardware to flexible, scalable digital processing, allowing for faster, more efficient imaging across a wide range of fields, from medical diagnostics to autonomous navigation. Its importance lies in providing a versatile, ...

Global study reveals people, including those most affected by climate change, do not understand climate justice

2024-10-18
An international study involving people from 11 countries has shown most people, including those in areas most affected by climate change, don’t understand the term ‘Climate Justice’. However they do recognise the social, historical, and economic injustices that characterise the climate crisis. The findings could help shape more effective communications and advocacy. Researchers from the Univeristy of Nottingham’s School of Psychology led a study that surveyed 5,627 adults in 11 countries (Australia, Brazil, Germany, India, Japan, Netherlands, Nigeria, Philippines, United Arab Emirates, United ...

Scientists create new overwintering sites for monarch butterflies on a warming planet

Scientists create new overwintering sites for monarch butterflies on a warming planet
2024-10-18
The migration of the monarch butterfly is one of the wonders of the natural world. Each autumn, a new generation of monarch butterflies is born in the northern United States and southern Canada. Hundreds of millions of these butterflies then fly to the mountains of Central Mexico, between 4,000km and 4,800km away. There, they overwinter in forests of the sacred fir Abies religiosa at high altitudes. Without these sacred firs, the monarchs couldn’t survive their grueling migration. But under global warming, these forests are predicted to slowly ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Sevenfold boost in lifespan of anode-free all-solid-state batteries using MoS₂ thin films

Ancient groundwater records reveal regional vulnerabilities to climate change

New monstersaur species a ‘goblin prince’ among dinosaurs

Father-daughter bonding helps female baboons live longer

New species of armored, monstersaur lizard that lived alongside dinosaurs identified by NHM paleontologists

Puberty blockers do not cause problems with sexual functioning in transgender adults

High levels of antihistamine drugs can reduce fitness gains

‘Virtual ward’ bed uses 4 times less carbon than traditional inpatient bed

Cannabis use linked to doubling in risk of cardiovascular disease death

Weight loss behaviors missing in tools to diagnose eating disorders

Imaging-based STAMP technique democratizes single-cell RNA research

Hyperspectral sensor pushes weed science a wave further

War, trade and agriculture spread rice disease across Africa

Study identifies a potential treatment for obesity-linked breathing disorder

From single cells to complex creatures: New study points to origins of animal multicellularity

Language disparities in continuous glucose monitoring for type 2 diabetes

New hormonal pathway links oxytocin to insulin secretion in the pancreas

Optimal management of erosive esophagitis: An evidence-based and pragmatic approach

For patients with multiple cancers, a colorectal cancer diagnosis could be lifesaving — or life-threatening

Digital inhalers may detect early warning signs of COPD flare-ups

Living near harmful algal blooms reduces life expectancy with ALS

Chemical analysis of polyphenolic content and antioxidant screening of 17 African propolis samples using RP-HPLC and spectroscopy

Mount Sinai and Cancer Research Institute team up to improve patient outcomes in immunotherapy

Suicide risk elevated among young adults with disabilities

Safeguarding Mendelian randomization: editorial urges rethink in methodological rigor

Using AI to find persuasive public health messages and automate real-time campaigns

Gene therapy for glaucoma

Teaching robots to build without blueprints

Negative perception of scientists working on AI

How disrupted daily rhythms can affect adolescent brain development

[Press-News.org] Cancer diagnoses linked to lasting financial challenges, studies find
Patients with cancer have higher rates of bankruptcy and debt collections, and lower credit scores for years after their diagnosis