Financial Distress in Advanced Cancer Patients

Frequency and Correlates of Financial Distress in Advanced Cancer Patients

This trial studies the severity of financial distress in advanced cancer patients. The cost of cancer care can often be very expensive. Financial distress from the burdens of high costs and debt may interfere with a patient's physical symptoms and quality of life.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To determine the frequency of high financial distress in advanced cancer patients.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To determine the association between high financial distress with clinical and demographic characteristics in advanced cancer patients.

II. To determine the correlation between In Charge Financial Distress/ Financial Well-Being Scale (IFDFW) and other financial distress instruments such as Comprehensive Score for Financial Toxicity-Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy (COST-FACIT) and Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale- Financial Distress (ESAS-FS).

III. To determine the association between high financial distress with patient symptoms in ESAS-FS and quality of life assessed by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - General (FACT-G).

OUTLINE:

Patients complete questionnaires about financial state and quality of life over 15 minutes. Patients' medical chart is also reviewed.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patient must have a diagnosis of advanced cancer, as defined by recurrent disease, locally advanced disease, metastatic disease, or refractory disease
• Patients must be able to understand, read, write, and speak English
• Patients must have no clinical evidence of severe cognitive impairment (Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale score of >= 13) and should be able to consent and answer the questionnaires
• Patients must sign an informed consent