Financial Toxicity Among Women With Metastatic Breast Cancer.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the incidence of financial toxicity among women with metastatic breast cancer, as well as the relationships among financial toxicity, quality of life, and overall cancer-related distress in members of this patient population.

SAMPLE & SETTING: 145 women with metastatic breast cancer receiving care at an urban outpatient breast cancer clinic.

METHODS & VARIABLES: A cross-sectional analysis of women with metastatic breast cancer was performed. Data were collected on patient characteristics, quality of life, cancer-related distress, and financial toxicity using self-administered questionnaires.

RESULTS

Financial toxicity is common among women with metastatic breast cancer and more common among low-income women with the disease. In addition, financial toxicity is correlated with worse quality of life and overall cancer-related distress.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING

Nurses should consider financial toxicity for all patients receiving treatment for cancer. Understanding the concerns of specific patient populations and patients with different stages of cancer is necessary to tailor assessment and mitigation strategies.