A recent article in the Washington Post was headlined “‘Navigators’ for cancer patients: A nice perk or something more?”
A “nice perk”? It certainly seems like anything that would help to lessen the confusion for patients and help them obtain and adhere to treatment would improve outcomes and help keep costs down too. I took a closer look at the article and especially at the main research study it was reporting on.
Looking back over 2014, what are the highlights of the year when it comes to major stories about breast cancer and developments in cancer research?
Here are my picks for the top ten stories that taught me something new, or that seemed to me to offer fresh insights or helpful reinforcement on issues that have been around for a while.
Covering the financial costs of care is an increasing problem for cancer patients, and especially for those receiving some of the newer medications which are often extremely highly priced.
More patients are finding that they have to struggle with how they’re going to pay for their medications at the same time as they’re dealing with the physical and emotional challenges of going through treatment. Some are even forced to declare bankruptcy.
