Now, a tool to predict financial pain from cancer
Along with distress that comes with cancer diagnosis and the discomfort of treatment, more patients now have to deal with “financial toxicity”, the expense, anxiety and loss of confidence confronting those who face large, unpredictable costs.
Researchers have now developed a tool to measure a patient’s risk for, and ability to tolerate, financial stress that comes with cancer.
Named COST (Comprehensive Score for financial Toxicity), the tool comprises 11 questions, assembled and refined from conversations with more than 150 patients with advanced cancer.
If patients know what to expect, they may want their physicians to consider less costly medications.
Source: Taiwan Sun
Published: 22 June 2014
