Open AccessNew Cancer Drugs at the Cost of Bankruptcy: Will the Oncologist Tell the Patients the Benefit in Terms of Days/Weeks Added to Life?
Author(s) -
Garg Pankaj Kumar,
Jain Bhupendra Kumar
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the oncologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.176
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1549-490X
pISSN - 1083-7159
DOI - 10.1634/theoncologist.2014-0263
Subject(s) - medicine , quality of life (healthcare) , cancer , bankruptcy , intensive care medicine , finance , nursing , economics
In addition to considerations of possible cancer treatments reducing quality of life, the cost effectiveness of such treatments must also be a factor when determining treatments. Some patients have opted for expensive new treatments, leading to high financial risk but only modest results. Oncologists must explain to patients the expected benefits of treatments in terms of absolute values to allow patients to make informed decisions.