“It still affects our economic situation”: long-term economic burden of breast cancer and lymphedema
Lorraine T. Dean1, Shadiya L. Moss, Yusuf Ransome, Livia Frasso-Jaramillo, Yuehan Zhang,
Kala Visvanathan, Lauren Hersch Nicholas, Kathryn H. Schmitz
Main findings
- The study provides evidence that costs for women with lymphedema remain significantly elevated long after cancer treatment. On average, there is a US $500–$1215 difference. These economic burdens occur even among those who have health insurance.
- Although women with and without lymphedema experience a similar number of economically burdensome events and comorbidities, high out-of-pocket costs for women with breast cancer-related lymphedema lead to a cascade of other economic challenges that persist long after cancer treatment. Future work should explore patient-driven recommendations to reduce economic burden after cancer