Relationship between financial toxicity and health-related quality of life in patients with advanced solid tumors.

Abstract

31 Background: Financial toxicity is an important Patient-Reported Outcome (PRO). Its relationship with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) has not been previously described. Therefore, we report the relationship between financial toxicity and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with advanced cancers. Methods: The global HRQOL was measured by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) and its subscales Physical Well-Being (PWB), Social/Family Well-Being (SWB), Emotional Well-Being (EWB) and Functional Well-Being (FWB). Financial toxicity was assessed by the COST (COmprehensive Score for financial Toxicity), a PRO measure previously developed in 155 patients with advanced cancers. Correlations were calculated using Spearman's correlation. Subject data on tumor type, age, gender, race, income, insurance type and educational level were collected. Results: Fifty patients were assessed. All participants were diagnosed with advanced cancers, were receiving treatment at the time of participation, and had received treatment for at least 3 months. The median COST was 22 (range 0-44), and mean 22.51 (s.d. ±10.80). A negative correlation existed between the COST and HRQOL as measured by the FACT-G (r = -0.47, P <.001), and its subscales: PWB (r=-0.35, p < 0.05), SWB (r=-0.33, p < 0.05), EWB (r=-0.32, p < 0.05) and FWB (r=-0.41, p < 0.01). In this small sample, there were no correlations between the COST and sociodemographic characteristics. Conclusions: Results demonstrate an inverse relationship between patient-reported HRQOL and financial toxicity, suggesting that higher financial toxicity is associated with worse HRQOL. A larger study is in progress to identify cancer patients at higher risk of financial toxicity.