Financial toxicity among gastric and pancreatic cancer survivors in India and its impact on quality of life.
[BACKGROUND] Financial toxicity (FT) associated with cancer treatment has emerged as a critical issue impacting cancer patients globally.
APA
Anand A, Dilip TR, et al. (2026). Financial toxicity among gastric and pancreatic cancer survivors in India and its impact on quality of life.. Journal of cancer policy, 48, 100730. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcpo.2026.100730
MLA
Anand A, et al.. "Financial toxicity among gastric and pancreatic cancer survivors in India and its impact on quality of life.." Journal of cancer policy, vol. 48, 2026, pp. 100730.
PMID
41780880
Abstract
[BACKGROUND] Financial toxicity (FT) associated with cancer treatment has emerged as a critical issue impacting cancer patients globally. The absence of comprehensive research on FT among gastric and pancreatic cancer survivors in India leaves a gap in understanding the full spectrum of economic burdens and challenges faced by them. This study addresses this gap by examining the factors associated with FT and its impact on the quality of life for gastric and pancreatic cancer survivors.
[METHODS] Data for this study were collected from April to September 2024 at Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH), Mumbai. Participants with a history of gastric and pancreatic cancers were selected at their regular follow-up visits to the Gastrointestinal Outpatient Department at TMH. The FT was measured using the COST FACIT v2, and the EORTC-QLQ-C30 was used to measure QoL.
[RESULTS] Among the 190 survivors, 19.5%, 36.3% and 44.2% had low, moderate and high FT, respectively. The results further show that survivors aged 60 and above had significantly lower FT compared to younger survivors. The classification based on the paying capacity of patients showed that survivors with poor and very poor status had significantly higher FT than those from the non-poor category. High years of education and insurance coverage also reduced FT. The findings also show that as FT increases, QoL deteriorates, which is particularly evident across various functional and symptom scales.
[CONCLUSION] The observation that approximately one-third of the survivors who completed treatment five years earlier were also experiencing severe financial toxicity illustrates the magnitude of the problem. The FT and its associated risk factors limit the ability of survivors and their families to integrate back into society and have a better QoL. It is evident that survivors need more than just medical treatment; they need a holistic support system that addresses their financial needs.
[METHODS] Data for this study were collected from April to September 2024 at Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH), Mumbai. Participants with a history of gastric and pancreatic cancers were selected at their regular follow-up visits to the Gastrointestinal Outpatient Department at TMH. The FT was measured using the COST FACIT v2, and the EORTC-QLQ-C30 was used to measure QoL.
[RESULTS] Among the 190 survivors, 19.5%, 36.3% and 44.2% had low, moderate and high FT, respectively. The results further show that survivors aged 60 and above had significantly lower FT compared to younger survivors. The classification based on the paying capacity of patients showed that survivors with poor and very poor status had significantly higher FT than those from the non-poor category. High years of education and insurance coverage also reduced FT. The findings also show that as FT increases, QoL deteriorates, which is particularly evident across various functional and symptom scales.
[CONCLUSION] The observation that approximately one-third of the survivors who completed treatment five years earlier were also experiencing severe financial toxicity illustrates the magnitude of the problem. The FT and its associated risk factors limit the ability of survivors and their families to integrate back into society and have a better QoL. It is evident that survivors need more than just medical treatment; they need a holistic support system that addresses their financial needs.