Financial Toxicity in Gynecologic Cancers with Katharine Esselen and Margaret Liang

BMJ talk medicine

(@K8SLN_MDMBA / @MLiangMD / @BIDMC_ObGyn / @UABOGYN / @ONealCancerUAB) In this episode of the IJGC podcast, Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Pedro Ramirez, is joined by Drs. Katharine Esselen and Margaret Liang to discuss financial toxicity in gynecologic cancers and their article, “Evaluating meaningful levels of financial toxicity in gynecologic cancers,” which is the Lead Article of IJGC’s June 2021 issue. Dr. Esselen, MD, MBA, is a gynecologic oncologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Assistant Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology at Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA. She is the Associate Fellowship Program Director and Director of Clinical Research for the Division of Gynecologic Oncology. Dr. Liang, MD, MS, is a gynecologic oncologist and health services researcher at University of Alabama at Birmingham and O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center. She is Network Relations Lead for the newly established Emotional Well-being and Economic Burden Research Network (EMOT-ECON). Highlights - ~50% of gynecologic cancer patients report financial toxicity and ~15% experience severe financial toxicity - Patients with severe financial toxicity are 4.6 times more likely to report medication non-compliance - More work needs to be done to understand the impact of financial toxicity on clinical outcomes including adherence to treatment and cancer survival - Proposed interventions include development of screening tools, provider training in cost conversations, enhanced financial navigation, insurance optimization, improved workplace leave policies, and value-based care healthcare models"