Financial toxicity on treatment outcomes in head & neck cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Financial toxicity, defined as hardship from medical costs, is an emerging concept in healthcare. Here we define financial toxicity in head and neck cancer patients receiving radiation, identify risk factors, and determine associations with HRQoL, treatment morbidity, and survival.

Methods

We conducted a prospective study on consecutive patients referred to a tertiary referral center for radiation therapy for head and neck malignancies (July 2021-June 2023). Patients provided consent and were assessed using validated patient-reported outcome measures for financial toxicity (FACIT-COST), HRQoL (EORTC-QLQ-C30), and symptom burden (PRO-CTCAE) before and after radiation therapy. Primary outcomes included two-year overall survival (OS), treatment morbidity (ER visits,

SUBMITTER: Harada GK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12648789 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature