Observational studyBMJ open2025
Observational survey of financial difficulties among patients with multiple myeloma and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia treated at US community oncology clinics (Alliance A231602CD).
Observational study in BMJ open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03870633 (Assessing Financial Difficulty in Patients with Blood Cancers), which is not on this map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Assessing Financial Difficulty in Patients with Blood Cancers
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Systematic review of patient-reported outcome item libraries in cancer research: an EORTC Quality of Life Group study.Journal of the National Cancer Institute · 2026Pooled it
Corrections and comments
- Update of
Authors and funding
16 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesTo estimate the proportion and correlates of self-reported financial difficulty among patients with multiple myeloma (MM) or chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL).
settingSixty-six US community and minority oncology practices affiliated with the National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Programme (NCORP).
participantsA total of 521 patients (≥18 years) with MM or CLL consented and 416 responded to a survey (completion rate=79.8%). Respondents had a MM diagnosis (74.0%), an associate degree or higher (53.4%), were White (89.2%), insured (100%) and treated with clinician-administered drugs (68.0%). STUDY
designObservational, theoretical model and protocol-based patient survey administered between May 2019 and June 2020. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Financial difficulty was assessed using a single-item measure, the EORTC QLQC30: 'Has your physical condition or medical treatment caused you financial difficulties in the past year?' and using an 'any-or-none' composite measure of 22 items assessing financial difficulty, worries and the use of cost-coping strategies. Multivariable logistic regression models assessed the association of financial difficulty with diagnosis, socioeconomic and treatment characteristics.
resultsAbout 16.8% reported experiencing financial difficulty using the single-item measure and 60.3% using the composite measure. Most frequently endorsed items in the composite measure were financial worry about having to pay large medical bills related to cancer and difficulty paying medical bills. Financial difficulty using the single-item measure was associated with having MM vs CLL (adjusted OR (aOR), 0.34; 95% CI, 0.13 to 0.84; p=0.02), having insurance other than Medicare (aOR, 2.53; 95% CI, 1.37 to 4.66; p=0.003), being non-White (aOR, 2.21; 95% CI, 1.04 to 4.72; p=0.04) and having a high school education or below (aOR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.21 to 0.64; p=0.001). Financial difficulty using the composite measure was associated with having a high school education or below (aOR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.41 to 0.94; p=0.03).
conclusionsUS patients with MM and CLL report financial difficulty, especially those with low socio-economic status. Interventions are needed to mitigate patients' financial difficulty. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03870633.
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