Quantifying and addressing self-defined needs in cancer patients
Article
Choi, J Isabelle, Simone II, Charles B, Mehta, Minesh P et al. (2025). Quantifying and addressing self-defined needs in cancer patients
. Supportive Care in Cancer, 33(8), 10.1007/s00520-025-09781-3
Choi, J Isabelle, Simone II, Charles B, Mehta, Minesh P et al. (2025). Quantifying and addressing self-defined needs in cancer patients
. Supportive Care in Cancer, 33(8), 10.1007/s00520-025-09781-3
Purpose: Almost half of cancer patients will deplete their life savings within the first 2 years of treatment, and one-quarter will declare bankruptcy or lose their home, underscoring the substantial financial toxicity of cancer and need to develop innovative solutions. In this analysis, the financial and non-financial needs articulated by an ethnically diverse cancer patient cohort through a novel, patient-driven portal are quantified, with patient-specific factors and correlations with unique needs further examined. Methods: This is a retrospective evaluation of oncology patients at two tertiary care cancer treatment centers in New York and Florida who enrolled on the “We’re in This Together” (WiTT) Support Registry™ from 01/2023 to 12/2023 to request assistance across four primary domains (Daily Life, Housing, Health, Transportation). Basic and partial Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) data were collected and analyzed. Results: Of 223 oncology patients who enrolled on the platform, one-half (49%) were 41–60 years old; 65% female, and 54% Hispanic. Within 12 months, 2,411 patient asks (10.8/patient on average) were made. The majority of asks were financial (95%); distribution by domain was 33% Housing, 31% Daily Life, 18% Health, and 18% Transportation. The total “ask” was $1,320,454, averaging $5,921 per patient. Distribution of asks across domains and amounts varied by cancer type, patient age, ethnicity, and sex. Conclusions: This novel platform may allow for more effective and customized resource allocation for oncology patients based on self-reported needs. Further research will be required to anticipate needs based on unique characteristics and to develop solutions that better address these current gaps.
