Financial Hardship after Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation: Lack of Impact on Survival

Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2018 Mar;27(3):345-347. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-17-1040. Epub 2018 Feb 13.

Abstract

Background: Financial hardship is a growing challenge for patients with blood cancer who undergo hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), and it is associated with poor patient-reported outcomes. In contrast, little is known about the potential impact of patient-reported financial hardship on post-HCT survival.Methods: We sought to describe the association of financial hardship with survival after HCT in a prospectively assembled cohort of patients from three large transplant centers (n = 325).Results: There was no association between financial hardship measures assessed at 6 months post-HCT and 1- or 2-year survival after HCT.Conclusions: Patient-reported financial distress after HCT does not seem to adversely affect post-HCT survival.Impact: When assessing the effectiveness of interventions to ameliorate familial financial burden among HCT, the focus should be on patient-reported outcomes rather than survival. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 27(3); 345-7. ©2018 AACR.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • Health Expenditures / statistics & numerical data*
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / economics
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / mortality*
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / therapy
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / economics*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Reported Outcome Measures*
  • Quality of Life
  • Self Report / economics
  • Self Report / statistics & numerical data
  • Socioeconomic Factors*
  • Survival Analysis
  • Treatment Outcome