Cancer care in the U.S. is very expensive, with new treatments and longer survival adding to the costs. Many patients face high out-of-pocket expenses due to their insurance, making it hard to afford treatment. This can lead to worse health and even preventable deaths.

Families often have to make tough financial sacrifices after a cancer diagnosis, and those with fewer resources struggle the most. The financial burden of cancer, known as financial toxicity, includes both the actual costs and the stress they cause. Current efforts to reduce this burden haven’t shown clear results, and there’s an urgent need to fix this problem to improve cancer care and survivors’ lives.