Cancer patients struggle as drug costs soar - Michigan News

Blogger's Note: decisions eg "buy groceries or not" is not new to cancer patients/families and is a rather old comment which seemingly has not made an impact (on instititional decision makers)

"Overall, this study provides a patient-centered view of a reality of modern day cancer care -- something that we call 'financial toxicity,'" senior author Dr. Amy Abernethy, an associate professor in Duke's medical oncology division, said in a Duke news release.
"We used to think about chemotherapy toxicity in terms of bad side effects like vomiting, nerve pain, confusion and risk of fatal infection. Now we are starting to think in terms of how treatment choices impact real aspects of daily living such as the ability to buy groceries or not," she added."

Costing lives : The Lancet

Editorial: World Report on Disability : The Lancet

 Note: this editorial does not mention cancer specifically

"Disability is a common, though uniquely personal experience that will affect increasing numbers of people as populations age. Common, because 1 billion people (15% of the world's population) are thought to have a disability. Unique, because how that disability affects an individual is mediated by environment and resources. For these reasons, the World Report on Disability, published on June 9, makes compelling reading for any citizen, and compulsory reading for health professionals, whose actions can moderate the effect of disabilities on people's lives."

"....This report reminds health professionals that people with disabilities are entitled to the highest standard of health without discrimination. Responsibilities go beyond primary prevention of disability, for instance by antenatal care, or secondary prevention after a cardiovascular event. To provide best care across the spectrum of comorbid physical and mental disabilities, health professionals need a sound understanding of access and communication needs, which should be central to all curricula.

The report makes care and policy recommendations for practitioners at all levels, as well as calling for better public understanding."

JCO link - Germ-line BRCA mutations in high-grade ovarian cancer: A case for routine BRCA mutation screening after a diagnosis of invasive ovarian cancer. -- ASCO Meeting Abstracts

Conclusions: Pathogenic BRCA1/2 mutations are common in invasive ovarian cancer and are associated with improved overall survival and response to systemic chemotherapy. BRCA testing should be implemented for all ovarian cancer patients as mutation status has important prognostic and therapeutic clinical utility.

Search Results JCO - abstract search results 'ovarian'

Note: search 'ovarian' brings up abstracts from ASCO 2011 (secondary source of info as a FYI)