"It Feels Like Another Thing Cancer Took From Me"- Exploring Cervical Cancer Patients' Experience of Financial...

Financial toxicity refers to the objective and subjective financial burden incurred due to medical treatment. It is an increasingly recognised consequence of cancer and its treatment. Cervical cancer patients have been reported as having high rates of financial toxicity in international literature, with local experience suggesting that this is also the case in New Zealand. We aimed to measure the prevalence and severity of financial toxicity in patients undergoing radiation treatment for cervical cancer at Wellington Blood and Cancer centre (WBCC), and how existing sources of support were used.

A mixed methods prospective study was conducted at WBCC. Patients were recruited into two study groups: cervical cancer treatment and 'comparison'. Qualitative data was collected via semi-structured interviews with 10 patients from the cervical cancer treatment group. Interviews explored the financial impact of treatment and strategies used to cope with this. Inductive thematic analysis was used to interrogate and analyse qualitative data. Quantitative data is presented elsewhere.

Ten participants completed semi-structured interviews. Six themes were identified: (i) costs associated with cancer treatment, (ii) impact of cancer treatment on financial situation, (iii) strategies to cope with changes in financial situation due to treatment, (iv) stress related to cancer treatment, (v) sources of financial assistance and other sources of support, and (vi) factors which influence the financial impact of cancer treatment.

Financial toxicity was identified as an additional burden for many participants undergoing cervical cancer treatment. Improving information provided, accommodation facilities and access to existing supports could help lessen this and better support patients having this type of treatment.