Author Interviews, Breast Cancer, CDC, Cost of Health Care / 03.05.2017
Younger Breast Cancer Patients Have More Later-Stage Disease and Higher Financial Costs
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Benjamin Allaire MS
RTI International
Research Triangle Park
Durham, NC, 27709
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: More than 22,000 women younger than 45 years of age were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013. Although less than 10 percent of all breast cancers are diagnosed among women younger than age 45, the types of breast cancer these younger women face are typically more aggressive, are diagnosed at more advanced stages, and result in poorer survival compared to breast cancer in older women. Younger women may also require more intense treatment, exhibit cancers that are less responsive to treatment, and have distinct and more prevalent side effects from treatment than older women. These side effects can include poorer quality of life, fertility problems, and depression.
As a result, breast cancer treatment for younger women is expensive, making them vulnerable to financial hardship. Recent research has shown that 31.8 percent of cancer survivors are likely to have cancer treatment-induced financial troubles, with higher rates among younger cancer patients. These financial difficulties cause some survivors to forego or delay necessary medical treatments.
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