Financial toxicity and patient-reported outcomes over time: A longitudinal study of women with recurrent ovarian cancer.

Abstract

6079 Background: The chronic nature of treatment for ovarian cancer (OC) can place women at increased risk of financial toxicity (FT) from ongoing direct and indirect costs coupled with potential loss of income. We explored FT and its association with anxiety, depression, and quality of life over time in women with recurrent OC. Methods: Women with recurrent OC enrolled in a longitudinal study were given the following validated instruments at baseline and every 3 months: FACIT Comprehensive Score for Financial Toxicity (COST), GAD-7 (anxiety), CES-D (depression) and FACT-Ovary. Mixed models were performed on longitudinal data over 12 months of follow-up. Multivariable analysis of demographic data was performed. Results: 225 patients were divided into low FT (top 2 terciles, n = 152) and high FT (bottom tercile, n = 73,) by baseline COST scores. The median age was 59 (range 22.9-78.9). There were no significant differences between the groups in regards to marital status, number of people in household or education level. There were significant differences between the low and high financial toxicity groups in terms of median age (low FT = 61 yrs vs. high FT = 54 yrs, p < 0.0001); race (5.4% black in low FT vs. 15.1% in high FT, p = 0.04), number of children < 18 years in the home ((p = 0.02), employment status p( < 0.0001) and annual income p( < 0.0001). On multivariable analysis, only income and age remained significantly associated with FT. The mean baseline COST score in the low FT group was 34 vs. 16 in the high FT group. Interestingly, pts with low baseline FT had significant worsening of FT over the 12 month time period while those with high FT had slight improvement over time. Consistently, the high FT group had higher scores on screening measures for anxiety and depression, as well as lower overall quality of life which persisted over time. Conclusions: Financial toxicity is a measurable and clinically relevant patient reported outcome. The cohort of women with high FT demonstrated higher mean scores on screening measures for depression and anxiety as well as persistently lower quality of life. Targeted interventions to decrease financial toxicity may provide more global improvements in mental health and quality of life.