The FINCARE-Young study aims to investigate the extent and development of financial toxicity in adolescents and young adults with cancer. The primary purpose of this study is to assess the level of financial burden experienced during the acute phase of cancer treatment and after completion of therapy, and to analyze changes over time. In addition, the study seeks to identify sociodemographic, clinical, and socioeconomic factors associated with financial toxicity, as well as its impact on employment and social reintegration. By focusing on young adult cancer survivors, this study addresses an underexplored population and seeks to generate evidence to improve supportive care strategies and reduce long-term financial consequences of cancer.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 18 to 39 years at the time of initial cancer diagnosis
• Diagnosis of a malignant neoplasm
• Receipt of oncological treatment at the University Medical Center Göttingen
• Completion of primary cancer therapy at the time of study participation
• Initial diagnosis between 2014 and 2024
• Ability to provide informed consent
• Sufficient German language skills to participate in a telephone interview and complete questionnaires

Exclusion Criteria:

• Age below 18 years or above 39 years at the time of initial cancer diagnosis
• No history of malignant disease
• Ongoing primary cancer treatment at the time of study participation
• Severe cognitive impairment or psychiatric condition preventing reliable participation
• Insufficient German language proficiency to complete interviews or questionnaires
• Withdrawal of informed consent

The study population will be selected from adolescents and young adults with a history of cancer who were treated at the University Medical Center Göttingen, a tertiary care academic hospital in Germany. Potential participants are identified through institutional clinical databases and electronic medical records. The source population includes individuals who received oncological care across all cancer entities within this center over the defined study period and who can be contacted for follow-up after completion of therapy.

Individual participant data will not be shared because the study involves highly sensitive personal, medical, and socioeconomic information. Sharing individual-level data could pose a risk to participant privacy and confidentiality, even after pseudonymization, and is therefore not planned.