Facing financial and emotional burdens.

• Position: Multiple Myeloma - Brief article

People with multiple myeloma who are experiencing financial burdens due to their cancer situation are almost two-and-one-half times more likely to be at risk for depression than those without financial burdens, according to the Cancer Support Community, Washington, D.C., an international nonprofit organization.

* People are making significant lifestyle tradeoffs to manage the cost of health care. These include cutting grocery bills, depleting savings, and borrowing against or using retirement funds.

* A large proportion of patients are experiencing significant levels of emotional burden related to financial toxicity. Thirty-two percent of participants reported experiencing clinically significant stress-related anxiety (intrusive ideation) about the financial cost of multiple myeloma and its treatment.

* There is a significant linear increase in overall distress as out-of-pocket costs rise incrementally...