title: The impending financial healthcare burden and ethical dilemma of systemic therapy in metastatic cancer.
abstract: Metastatic cancer remains a devastating disease that threatens to disrupt entire family structures creating economic and psychosocial stress. Fortunately, great strides have resulted in improved therapies over the years but at a huge social-economic cost. The economic burden has risen greatly and carries with it new ethical concerns when deciding treatment. Here, we discuss the financial and ethical challenges that oncologists and their patients face in the era of novel treatment strategies. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;114:323-328. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: Muhammad Kashif
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Riaz
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bal
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Head and Neck Oncology/Experimental Therapeutics, Associate Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Director, University of Cincinnati Cancer Institute, Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: Trisha
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wise-Draper
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000628:therapy*; D018579:Patient Selection; D011788:Quality of Life; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D018570:Risk Assessment
keywords: chemotherapy; cost effectiveness; metastatic cancer