Stage IVA Colon Cancer, Stage IVA Rectal Cancer, Stage IVB Colon Cancer, Stage IVB Rectal Cancer
Conditions
Brief summary
This clinical trial studies the use of the financial impact assessment tool in patients with colorectal cancer that has spread from the primary site to other places in the body. Gathering information about patients with colorectal cancer over time may help doctors better understand the financial impact of cancer and help patients avoid financial problems during treatment.
Detailed description
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To estimate the incidence of treatment-related major financial hardship over 12 months, among patients with newly diagnosed metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) treated at components and subcomponents of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP). SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To describe the association of major financial hardships with mCRC treatment by demographic factors, including age, race, marital status, employment status, and income. II. To explore whether occurrence of major financial hardship is associated with poorer health-related quality of life over time. III. To profile the magnitude and timing of treatment-related changes in patients' income, assets, debt, and employment, and to quantify major out-of-pocket expenses during the 12 months following registration. IV. To explore the extent to which health insurance factors (e.g. high copayments, deductibles, premiums, loss/change of insurance plan) are associated with major financial hardship and treatment non-adherence. V. To determine feasibility of recruiting primary caregivers and measuring caregiver burden and caregivers' perceptions about cancer treatment costs. VI. To determine the feasibility of conducting a prospective-multi-site longitudinal cohort study assessing financial outcomes in patients with mCRC undergoing treatment within the NCORP network. TERTIARY OBJECTIVES: I. To obtain objective measures of expenses, debt and credit through linkage with individual patient credit reports (TransUnion) at enrollment (baseline) and end of follow up (12 months). OUTLINE: Patients complete questionnaires (including the Baseline, Financial/Employment Impact, Insurance Impact, Quality of Life, and Treatment Perceptions questionnaires) over 30-60 minutes at baseline and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Caregivers complete questionnaires over 30-60 minutes at baseline and at 6 and 12 months.
Interventions
OTHERQuality-of-Life Assessment
Complete questionnaire
OTHERQuestionnaire Administration
Complete questionnaires
Sponsors
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
SWOG Cancer Research Network
Study design
Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Patients must have newly diagnosed metastatic colon or rectal cancer (mCRC) (de novo metastatic diagnosis) or metastatic recurrence after prior treatment for stage I-III disease and be \</= 120 days after diagnosis at time of registration * Systemic chemotherapy and/or systemic biologic therapy must be planned to be administered within 30 days after registration or must have been initiated within 60 days prior to registration; patients who are planning palliative or hospice care only (no chemotherapy or biologic therapy) are not eligible * Registering site must be an NCORP site; it is recommended that patients receive care for the mCRC at the registering site to ensure accessibility of patient records. * Patients must be able to complete questionnaires in English * Patients must provide their full name, primary address in the United States (U.S.), birth date and social security number at registration for the purposes of accessing credit report data * Patients must sign and give written informed consent in accordance with institutional and federal guidelines * As a part of the Oncology Patient Enrollment Network (OPEN) registration process the treating institution's identity is provided in order to ensure that the current (within 365 days) date of institutional review board approval for this study has been entered in the system
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Cumulative Incidence Rate of Treatment-related Major Financial Hardship | Up to 12 months | The cumulative incidence estimates of participants experiencing both major financial hardship (MFH) and multiple financial hardships will be reported. This estimate is calculated over a 12 month period; due to participant drop out throughout this period, the calculated cumulative incidence for the participants analyzed at the 12 month mark does not equate to a whole number. A major financial hardship is defined as one or more of the following: debt accumulation of any amount, selling or refinancing home, \>= 20% income decline, borrowing money of any amount from family/friends. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Association of Race and Cumulative Incidence Rate of Major Financial Hardship | Up to 12 months | The cumulative incidence estimates of participants experiencing MFH within racial groups. This estimate is calculated over a 12 month period; due to participant drop out throughout this period, the calculated cumulative incidence for the participants analyzed at the 12 month mark does not equate to a whole number. This is used to assess whether major financial hardship at one year differs by race (white vs. non-white). |
| Association of Marital Status and Cumulative Incidence Rate of Major Financial Hardship | Up to 12 months | The cumulative percentage of participants experiencing MFH within marital status groups. This is used to assess whether major financial hardship at one year differs by age (married vs. unmarried). Marital status is taken at baseline. |
| Association of Employment Status and Cumulative Incidence Rate of Major Financial Hardship | Up to 12 months | The cumulative incidence estimates of participants experiencing MFH within different employment status groups. This estimate is calculated over a 12 month period; due to participant drop out throughout this period, the calculated cumulative incidence for the participants analyzed at the 12 month mark does not equate to a whole number. This is used to assess whether major financial hardship at one year differs by pre-diagnosis employment status (any employment vs. unemployed). Employment status is taken at baseline. |
| Association of Income and Cumulative Incidence Rate of Major Financial Hardship | Up to 12 months | The cumulative incidence estimates of participants experiencing MFH within income groups. This estimate is calculated over a 12 month period; due to participant drop out throughout this period, the calculated cumulative incidence for the participants analyzed at the 12 month mark does not equate to a whole number. This is used to assess whether major financial hardship at one year differs by household income (\<$50,000 vs. \>=$50,000 and \<$100,000 vs. \>=$100,000). Household income is taken at baseline. |
| Health-related Quality of Life (HRQOL) as Measured by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) Version 3.0 | Up to 12 months | The relationship between major financial hardship and HRQOL will be assessed. Landmark analysis will be used to establish major financial hardship as a baseline predictor of HRQOL. In particular, patients will be categorized as having major financial hardship at their 3 month assessment (yes vs. no). Linear regression will then be used to assess whether the 3-month assessment of financial hardship predicts the 6-month HRQOL score. HRQOL at 3 months will be included as an adjustment covariate. The 6-month HRQOL score will be based on the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire transformed into a linear sco |
| Changes in Assets/Income/Wealth | Baseline to up to 12 months | Will be handled using descriptive statistics (e.g. mean, median, proportions). Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize baseline patient characteristics and will compare populations using two-sample means and proportions tests (alpha level 0.05). Caregiver strain index will be scored based on responses (score range 0 to 26). Mean scores will be compared for caregivers of patients reporting vs. not reporting at least one financial hardship. |
| Association of Age and Cumulative Incidence Rate of Major Financial Hardship | Up to 12 months | The cumulative incidence estimates of participants experiencing MFH within age groups. This estimate is calculated over a 12 month period; due to participant drop out throughout this period, the calculated cumulative incidence for the participants analyzed at the 12 month mark does not equate to a whole number. This is used to assess whether major financial hardship at one year differs by age (\< 65 vs. \>= 65). Age is taken at baseline. |
| Changes in Health Insurance | Baseline to up to 12 months | Will be handled using descriptive statistics (e.g. mean, median, proportions). Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize baseline patient characteristics and will compare populations using two-sample means and proportions tests (alpha level 0.05). Caregiver strain index will be scored based on responses (score range 0 to 26). Mean scores will be compared for caregivers of patients reporting vs. not reporting at least one financial hardship. |
| Caregiver Participation | Up to 12 months | The caregiver component will be considered feasible if the designated caregivers for \> 50% of eligible patients complete and submit their baseline and at least one follow-up assessment. Means, medians, and proportions will be used to describe the participating caregiver population. Analyses will be largely descriptive. If caregiver accrual is very poor (\< 20%), describing the patient population will be the focus rather than attempting to correlate caregiver and patient responses. |
| Accrual to a Prospective-multi-site Longitudinal Cohort Study | Up to 3 years | Each of the NCORP components (we anticipate 25 NCORP components) will each need to enroll, on average, about 5 patients per year. Accrual will be assessed at 1.5 years after study activation. If monthly average accrual in quarters 5-6 after study registration is \< 50% of projected accrual, efforts will be made to increase accrual over the succeeding 6 month period. If after 2 years, monthly accrual remains \< 50% of projected accrual, study revision will be considered. In order to address the potential for selection bias, demographics (age, race, gender, etc.) of the final cohort will be compared |
| Debt and Spending by Credit Report Histories | Up to 12 months | Credit histories obtained from TransUnion measure the following: non-mortgage amounts past due on credit cards and bankcards; non-mortgage credit card and bankcard balances; bankruptcies, liens, collections or repossessions. Will be handled using descriptive statistics (e.g. mean, median, proportions). Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize baseline patient characteristics and will compare populations using two-sample means and proportions tests (alpha level 0.05). Caregiver strain index will be scored based on responses (score range 0 to 26). Mean scores will be compared. |
| Credit History (TransUnion) | Up to 12 months | The linkage of SWOG clinical and financial data with credit histories obtained from TransUnion will allow exploration of additional indicators of financial stress, including high balances and past due amounts of credit card and bankcards as well as evidence of bankruptcies, liens, and collections or repossessions in the preceding 36 months (TransUnion Inc. 'Credit Vision' report). This linked database will also provide a more complete picture of patients' pre-diagnosis financial status and post-diagnosis financial hardship. These data will also allow corroboration of self-reports. |
| Financial Stress (Patient, Caregiver, or Bereaved Caregiver) | Up to 12 months | Will be handled using descriptive statistics (e.g. mean, median, proportions). Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize baseline patient characteristics and will compare populations using two-sample means and proportions tests (alpha level 0.05). Caregiver strain index will be scored based on responses (score range 0 to 26). Mean scores will be compared for caregivers of patients reporting vs. not reporting at least one financial hardship. |
| Out-of-pocket Expenses, Defined as Total Out-of-pocket Direct Medical (e.g., Prescriptions, Physician Visits, Deductibles) and Non-medical (Transportation, Meals) Expenses in the 3 Months Prior to Each Study Visit | Up to 12 months | Will be handled using descriptive statistics (e.g. mean, median, proportions). Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize baseline patient characteristics and will compare populations using two-sample means and proportions tests (alpha level 0.05). Caregiver strain index will be scored based on responses (score range 0 to 26). Mean scores will be compared for caregivers of patients reporting vs. not reporting at least one financial hardship. |
Countries
United States
Participant flow
Recruitment details
380 patients were enrolled between June 2016 and January 2019.
Participants by arm
| Arm | Count |
|---|---|
| Health Services Research (Questionnaire Administration) Patients complete questionnaires (including the Baseline, Financial/Employment Impact, Insurance Impact, Quality of Life, and Treatment Perceptions questionnaires) over 30-60 minutes at baseline and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Caregivers complete questionnaires over 30-60 minutes at baseline and at 6 and 12 months.
Quality-of-Life Assessment: Complete questionnaire
Questionnaire Administration: Complete questionnaires | 368 |
| Total | 368 |
Withdrawals & dropouts
| Period | Reason | FG000 |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Study | Death | 99 |
| Overall Study | Did not complete baseline questionnaire | 9 |
| Overall Study | Ineligible | 3 |
Baseline characteristics
| Characteristic | Health Services Research (Questionnaire Administration) |
|---|---|
| Age, Categorical <=18 years | 0 Participants |
| Age, Categorical >=65 years | 137 Participants |
| Age, Categorical Between 18 and 65 years | 231 Participants |
| Age, Continuous | 60.2 years |
| ECOG Performance Score 0 | 183 Participants |
| ECOG Performance Score 1 | 158 Participants |
| ECOG Performance Score 2 | 22 Participants |
| ECOG Performance Score 3 | 4 Participants |
| ECOG Performance Score Unknown | 1 Participants |
| Education Bachelor degree | 63 Participants |
| Education High school graduate or less | 143 Participants |
| Education Master, doctorate, or professional degree | 43 Participants |
| Education Missing | 8 Participants |
| Education Vocational school or some college | 111 Participants |
| Homeowner No | 124 Participants |
| Homeowner Unknown | 8 Participants |
| Homeowner Yes | 236 Participants |
| Initial Treatment Regimen (5-FU or cap) ± bevacizumab | 38 Participants |
| Initial Treatment Regimen (FOLFIRI or CapIRI) ± bevacizumab | 55 Participants |
| Initial Treatment Regimen (FOLFOX, CapOX, FOLFIRI, or CapIRI) + EGFR inhibitor | 15 Participants |
| Initial Treatment Regimen (FOLFOX or CapOX) ± bevacizumab | 228 Participants |
| Initial Treatment Regimen Other | 32 Participants |
| Marital Status Divorced or separated | 82 Participants |
| Marital Status Married/Partnered | 213 Participants |
| Marital Status Never married | 48 Participants |
| Marital Status Unknown | 8 Participants |
| Marital Status Widowed | 17 Participants |
| Prediagnosis Employment Status Employed (full-time, part-time, self-employed) | 222 Participants |
| Prediagnosis Employment Status On leave of absence from paid employment | 2 Participants |
| Prediagnosis Employment Status Other or unknown | 13 Participants |
| Prediagnosis Employment Status Retired | 93 Participants |
| Prediagnosis Employment Status Temporary or permanent disability | 25 Participants |
| Prediagnosis Employment Status Unemployed | 13 Participants |
| Primary Insurance Medicaid | 44 Participants |
| Primary Insurance Medicare | 143 Participants |
| Primary Insurance Other | 3 Participants |
| Primary Insurance Private insurance (employer provided) | 171 Participants |
| Primary Insurance Uninsured | 7 Participants |
| Prior Diagnosis of Stage I-III Colorectal Cancer No, de novo diagnosis of stage IV | 275 Participants |
| Prior Diagnosis of Stage I-III Colorectal Cancer Yes | 93 Participants |
| Race/Ethnicity, Customized Asian or Pacific Islander | 17 Participants |
| Race/Ethnicity, Customized Black | 48 Participants |
| Race/Ethnicity, Customized Other or Unknown | 17 Participants |
| Race/Ethnicity, Customized White | 286 Participants |
| Sex: Female, Male Female | 140 Participants |
| Sex: Female, Male Male | 228 Participants |
| Total Assets $0-$25,000 | 202 Participants |
| Total Assets $100,001-$250,000 | 32 Participants |
| Total Assets $250,001-$500,000 | 29 Participants |
| Total Assets $25,001-$50,000 | 25 Participants |
| Total Assets $500,001 or more | 34 Participants |
| Total Assets $50,001-$100,000 | 38 Participants |
| Total Assets Unknown | 8 Participants |
| Total Household Income $0-$25,000 | 114 Participants |
| Total Household Income $100,001 or more | 65 Participants |
| Total Household Income $25,001-$50,000 | 94 Participants |
| Total Household Income $50,001-$75,000 | 54 Participants |
| Total Household Income $75,001-$100,000 | 31 Participants |
| Total Household Income Unknown | 10 Participants |
Adverse events
| Event type | EG000 affected / at risk |
|---|---|
| deaths Total, all-cause mortality | 99 / 380 |
| other Total, other adverse events | 0 / 0 |
| serious Total, serious adverse events | 0 / 0 |
Outcome results
Primary
Cumulative Incidence Rate of Treatment-related Major Financial Hardship
The cumulative incidence estimates of participants experiencing both major financial hardship (MFH) and multiple financial hardships will be reported. This estimate is calculated over a 12 month period; due to participant drop out throughout this period, the calculated cumulative incidence for the participants analyzed at the 12 month mark does not equate to a whole number. A major financial hardship is defined as one or more of the following: debt accumulation of any amount, selling or refinancing home, \>= 20% income decline, borrowing money of any amount from family/friends.
Time frame: Up to 12 months
Population: The analysis population includes only the 302 participants that were evaluable for the primary endpoint - either completed 12-month evaluation or met primary endpoint.
| Arm | Measure | Group | Value (NUMBER) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health Services Research (Questionnaire Administration) | Cumulative Incidence Rate of Treatment-related Major Financial Hardship | Any MFH | 71.3 percentage of participants |
| Health Services Research (Questionnaire Administration) | Cumulative Incidence Rate of Treatment-related Major Financial Hardship | New Debt | 57.6 percentage of participants |
| Health Services Research (Questionnaire Administration) | Cumulative Incidence Rate of Treatment-related Major Financial Hardship | >=20% Income Decline | 26.6 percentage of participants |
| Health Services Research (Questionnaire Administration) | Cumulative Incidence Rate of Treatment-related Major Financial Hardship | Loans from Family and/or Friends | 26.0 percentage of participants |
| Health Services Research (Questionnaire Administration) | Cumulative Incidence Rate of Treatment-related Major Financial Hardship | Refinance of Home | 3.4 percentage of participants |
| Health Services Research (Questionnaire Administration) | Cumulative Incidence Rate of Treatment-related Major Financial Hardship | Sale of Home | 2.6 percentage of participants |
Secondary
Accrual to a Prospective-multi-site Longitudinal Cohort Study
Each of the NCORP components (we anticipate 25 NCORP components) will each need to enroll, on average, about 5 patients per year. Accrual will be assessed at 1.5 years after study activation. If monthly average accrual in quarters 5-6 after study registration is \< 50% of projected accrual, efforts will be made to increase accrual over the succeeding 6 month period. If after 2 years, monthly accrual remains \< 50% of projected accrual, study revision will be considered. In order to address the potential for selection bias, demographics (age, race, gender, etc.) of the final cohort will be compared
Time frame: Up to 3 years
Secondary
Association of Age and Cumulative Incidence Rate of Major Financial Hardship
The cumulative incidence estimates of participants experiencing MFH within age groups. This estimate is calculated over a 12 month period; due to participant drop out throughout this period, the calculated cumulative incidence for the participants analyzed at the 12 month mark does not equate to a whole number. This is used to assess whether major financial hardship at one year differs by age (\< 65 vs. \>= 65). Age is taken at baseline.
Time frame: Up to 12 months
Population: There were a total of 302 participants analyzed which either completed the 12-month evaluation or met the primary endpoint.
| Arm | Measure | Value (NUMBER) |
|---|---|---|
| Health Services Research (Questionnaire Administration) | Association of Age and Cumulative Incidence Rate of Major Financial Hardship | 73.7 percentage of participants |
| >=65 Years | Association of Age and Cumulative Incidence Rate of Major Financial Hardship | 68.1 percentage of participants |
p-value: 0.6595% CI: [0.66, 1.29]Regression, Cox
Secondary
Association of Employment Status and Cumulative Incidence Rate of Major Financial Hardship
The cumulative incidence estimates of participants experiencing MFH within different employment status groups. This estimate is calculated over a 12 month period; due to participant drop out throughout this period, the calculated cumulative incidence for the participants analyzed at the 12 month mark does not equate to a whole number. This is used to assess whether major financial hardship at one year differs by pre-diagnosis employment status (any employment vs. unemployed). Employment status is taken at baseline.
Time frame: Up to 12 months
Population: 295 participants were analyzed that had baseline employment status information available and either completed the 12-month evaluation or met the primary endpoint.
| Arm | Measure | Value (NUMBER) |
|---|---|---|
| Health Services Research (Questionnaire Administration) | Association of Employment Status and Cumulative Incidence Rate of Major Financial Hardship | 62.9 percentage of participants |
| >=65 Years | Association of Employment Status and Cumulative Incidence Rate of Major Financial Hardship | 76.2 percentage of participants |
p-value: 0.0195% CI: [0.48, 0.92]Regression, Cox
Secondary
Association of Income and Cumulative Incidence Rate of Major Financial Hardship
The cumulative incidence estimates of participants experiencing MFH within income groups. This estimate is calculated over a 12 month period; due to participant drop out throughout this period, the calculated cumulative incidence for the participants analyzed at the 12 month mark does not equate to a whole number. This is used to assess whether major financial hardship at one year differs by household income (\<$50,000 vs. \>=$50,000 and \<$100,000 vs. \>=$100,000). Household income is taken at baseline.
Time frame: Up to 12 months
Population: 294 total participants were analyzed which had baseline household income information available and either completed the 12-month evaluation or met the primary endpoint. The number of participants in the \<$50,000 arm and \>=$50,000 arm equal the total (294) participants analyzed. Similarly, the number of participants in the \<$100,000 arm and \>=$100,000 arm equal the total (294) participants analyzed.
| Arm | Measure | Value (NUMBER) |
|---|---|---|
| Health Services Research (Questionnaire Administration) | Association of Income and Cumulative Incidence Rate of Major Financial Hardship | 72.7 percentage of participants |
| >=65 Years | Association of Income and Cumulative Incidence Rate of Major Financial Hardship | 69.1 percentage of participants |
| <$100,000 | Association of Income and Cumulative Incidence Rate of Major Financial Hardship | 72.9 percentage of participants |
| >=$100,000 | Association of Income and Cumulative Incidence Rate of Major Financial Hardship | 64.9 percentage of participants |
p-value: 0.195% CI: [0.95, 1.87]Regression, Cox
p-value: 0.00295% CI: [1.28, 2.89]Regression, Cox
Secondary
Association of Marital Status and Cumulative Incidence Rate of Major Financial Hardship
The cumulative percentage of participants experiencing MFH within marital status groups. This is used to assess whether major financial hardship at one year differs by age (married vs. unmarried). Marital status is taken at baseline.
Time frame: Up to 12 months
Population: 295 participants were analyzed who had baseline marital status information available and either completed the 12-month evaluation or met the primary endpoint.
| Arm | Measure | Value (NUMBER) |
|---|---|---|
| Health Services Research (Questionnaire Administration) | Association of Marital Status and Cumulative Incidence Rate of Major Financial Hardship | 69.0 percentage of participants |
| >=65 Years | Association of Marital Status and Cumulative Incidence Rate of Major Financial Hardship | 72.2 percentage of participants |
p-value: 0.8795% CI: [0.73, 1.31]Regression, Cox
Secondary
Association of Race and Cumulative Incidence Rate of Major Financial Hardship
The cumulative incidence estimates of participants experiencing MFH within racial groups. This estimate is calculated over a 12 month period; due to participant drop out throughout this period, the calculated cumulative incidence for the participants analyzed at the 12 month mark does not equate to a whole number. This is used to assess whether major financial hardship at one year differs by race (white vs. non-white).
Time frame: Up to 12 months
Population: 292 total participants were analyzed which had baseline race information available and either completed the 12-month evaluation or met the primary endpoint.
| Arm | Measure | Value (NUMBER) |
|---|---|---|
| Health Services Research (Questionnaire Administration) | Association of Race and Cumulative Incidence Rate of Major Financial Hardship | 70.3 percentage of participants |
| >=65 Years | Association of Race and Cumulative Incidence Rate of Major Financial Hardship | 73.9 percentage of participants |
p-value: 0.795% CI: [0.79, 1.43]Regression, Cox
Secondary
Caregiver Participation
The caregiver component will be considered feasible if the designated caregivers for \> 50% of eligible patients complete and submit their baseline and at least one follow-up assessment. Means, medians, and proportions will be used to describe the participating caregiver population. Analyses will be largely descriptive. If caregiver accrual is very poor (\< 20%), describing the patient population will be the focus rather than attempting to correlate caregiver and patient responses.
Time frame: Up to 12 months
Secondary
Changes in Assets/Income/Wealth
Will be handled using descriptive statistics (e.g. mean, median, proportions). Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize baseline patient characteristics and will compare populations using two-sample means and proportions tests (alpha level 0.05). Caregiver strain index will be scored based on responses (score range 0 to 26). Mean scores will be compared for caregivers of patients reporting vs. not reporting at least one financial hardship.
Time frame: Baseline to up to 12 months
Secondary
Changes in Health Insurance
Will be handled using descriptive statistics (e.g. mean, median, proportions). Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize baseline patient characteristics and will compare populations using two-sample means and proportions tests (alpha level 0.05). Caregiver strain index will be scored based on responses (score range 0 to 26). Mean scores will be compared for caregivers of patients reporting vs. not reporting at least one financial hardship.
Time frame: Baseline to up to 12 months
Secondary
Credit History (TransUnion)
The linkage of SWOG clinical and financial data with credit histories obtained from TransUnion will allow exploration of additional indicators of financial stress, including high balances and past due amounts of credit card and bankcards as well as evidence of bankruptcies, liens, and collections or repossessions in the preceding 36 months (TransUnion Inc. 'Credit Vision' report). This linked database will also provide a more complete picture of patients' pre-diagnosis financial status and post-diagnosis financial hardship. These data will also allow corroboration of self-reports.
Time frame: Up to 12 months
Secondary
Debt and Spending by Credit Report Histories
Credit histories obtained from TransUnion measure the following: non-mortgage amounts past due on credit cards and bankcards; non-mortgage credit card and bankcard balances; bankruptcies, liens, collections or repossessions. Will be handled using descriptive statistics (e.g. mean, median, proportions). Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize baseline patient characteristics and will compare populations using two-sample means and proportions tests (alpha level 0.05). Caregiver strain index will be scored based on responses (score range 0 to 26). Mean scores will be compared.
Time frame: Up to 12 months
Secondary
Financial Stress (Patient, Caregiver, or Bereaved Caregiver)
Will be handled using descriptive statistics (e.g. mean, median, proportions). Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize baseline patient characteristics and will compare populations using two-sample means and proportions tests (alpha level 0.05). Caregiver strain index will be scored based on responses (score range 0 to 26). Mean scores will be compared for caregivers of patients reporting vs. not reporting at least one financial hardship.
Time frame: Up to 12 months
Secondary
Health-related Quality of Life (HRQOL) as Measured by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) Version 3.0
The relationship between major financial hardship and HRQOL will be assessed. Landmark analysis will be used to establish major financial hardship as a baseline predictor of HRQOL. In particular, patients will be categorized as having major financial hardship at their 3 month assessment (yes vs. no). Linear regression will then be used to assess whether the 3-month assessment of financial hardship predicts the 6-month HRQOL score. HRQOL at 3 months will be included as an adjustment covariate. The 6-month HRQOL score will be based on the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire transformed into a linear sco
Time frame: Up to 12 months
Secondary
Out-of-pocket Expenses, Defined as Total Out-of-pocket Direct Medical (e.g., Prescriptions, Physician Visits, Deductibles) and Non-medical (Transportation, Meals) Expenses in the 3 Months Prior to Each Study Visit
Will be handled using descriptive statistics (e.g. mean, median, proportions). Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize baseline patient characteristics and will compare populations using two-sample means and proportions tests (alpha level 0.05). Caregiver strain index will be scored based on responses (score range 0 to 26). Mean scores will be compared for caregivers of patients reporting vs. not reporting at least one financial hardship.
Time frame: Up to 12 months