How palliative care teams can mitigate financial toxicity in cancer care

Abstract

The disruption to patient and family well-being introduced by the rising costs of cancer care is a growing clinical problem. In addition to logistical questions, there is a compelling, existential one: “How should healthcare teams address patient and caregiver distress and uncertainty from financial toxicity?” We argue that the principles and practice of palliative care can help alleviate this element and often unaddressed component of human suffering.