A cancer diagnosis is always a shock for the person receiving it and their loved ones. First thoughts are naturally directed towards the prognosis, but there are also financial repercussions. In Canada, a cancer patient will have to pay an average of $33,000 for their treatment and recovery.
This is what a new report released Monday by the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) reveals. The document was prepared in collaboration with the Canadian Cancer Statistics Advisory Committee, Statistics Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada.
The results come from software that projects data from the crossing of sociodemographic data and cancer data taken from provincial and territorial registries.
The calculation of the costs to be paid by a patient and their loved ones was divided into three phases of care, the first being the initial treatments over a period of 12 months. The second phase is that of continuous treatments which begin after the first year of treatments up to a maximum of 10 years. The third phase is the last year of life, which includes palliative care.
People with cancer and their caregivers pay 20% of the total costs of cancer in Canada, which represented an amount of $7.5 billion in 2024, including $5.2 billion only for the first year post-diagnosis. The SCC estimates that the portion to be paid by patients could rise to $8.8 billion per year within 10 years due to the rising cost of living and the aging of the population.
In 2024, costs for the health system are expected to represent $30.2 billion. The costs of lung, breast, colorectal and prostate cancer alone are expected to total $14.2 billion for the health system.
The first year after a cancer diagnosis is the most expensive for the patient, indicates David Raynaud, senior manager, public interest advocacy at the CCS. He explains that there is often a loss of income and furthermore, the treatments are more intensive, so it sometimes requires medical equipment, transport costs and accommodation.
To help patients and their loved ones reduce costs that last for several years, the Canadian Cancer Society is calling on governments to take concrete action. “We can think of a reduction in the costs of cancer medications, whether given in an establishment or at home, a refundable tax credit for caregivers, which is not always the case across the country. . We can think of improving leave with job protection,” says Mr. Raynaud. He also wants more support for travel and accommodation.
“We think that if governments across the country take action in this direction, we could really reduce the financial burden on patients and caregivers. What we want is for it to be as low as possible. In a rich country like Canada with a universal health care system, it is not acceptable that there are so many costs that we do not see or that are somewhat hidden for people who have a cancer diagnosis. , deplores Mr. Raynaud.
Inequalities
The report highlights that people with low income, fixed income and those living in rural or remote areas are more impacted by the financial burden of a cancer diagnosis. “Not forgetting underserved communities such as Indigenous Nations, Métis and Inuit, who also have potentially higher costs,” adds Mr. Raynaud.
“We don’t face financial difficulties following a cancer diagnosis in the same way. There is an asymmetry depending on your situation. And this means that there are people who choose to sacrifice or postpone part of their treatment, which is very worrying,” he comments.
The report does not detail the proportion of citizens who live in remote areas and who must travel to receive treatment, but according to the manager at the SCC, this is a significant number of people.
“Even when you live in the suburbs of a large city or in peri-urban areas, often the cancer centers that provide the treatments you need are in large centers,” he says. The further we are from a large center, the more it can cost us in transport, but also in accommodation. Many will decide not to drive two hours each way and two hours back, for example, having received treatments that are still difficult, either surgery or chemotherapy.”
The Canadian Cancer Society points out that it has resources that can financially support people with cancer.
