WASHINGTON – The U.S. cancer care delivery system is undergoing profound changes to better meet the needs of people with cancer, but persistent hurdles threaten to slow progress, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s (ASCO) fourth annual State of Cancer Care in America report released today.

The report, published in the Journal of Oncology Practice and presented at a briefing on Capitol Hill, describes key areas of progress in cancer care, including new approaches for cancer diagnosis and treatment, improved data sharing to drive innovation, and an increased focus on value-based health care. However, access and affordability challenges, along with increased practice burdens, continue to pose barriers to high-value, high-quality cancer care.

Cancer care system facing challenges in all directions

The nation’s population is growing rapidly, changing demographically, and living longer – all factors contributing to a record number of patients with and survivors of cancer. Over the next ten years, the number of cancer survivors in the United States is expected to grow from 15.5 million to 20.3 million, and by 2040, 26.1 million Americans, all needing continued care, will be living with a history of cancer.

“Since 1991, we’ve been able to save 2.1 million lives because of significant advances in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment – something unimaginable even a decade ago,” said ASCO President Daniel F. Hayes, MD, FACP, FASCO. “But there’s still more work to be done to ensure that every patient with cancer, no matter who they are or where they live, has access to high-quality, high-value cancer care.”

Patient Financial Distress. The ASCO report underscores that, for many patients, even among those with health insurance, a cancer diagnosis can be financially catastrophic. While new treatments for cancer are offering better outcomes for many patients, treatments are also becoming more expensive, burdening both patients and the cancer care system as a whole. A 2016 study found one in three working-age cancer survivors incurred debt as a result of cancer treatment costs, and of those, 55 percent owed $10,000 or more. Patients with fewer financial reserves report more pain and a poorer quality of life.

Healthcare Disparities. Independent of insurance status, significant health disparities continue to persist. Race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geography all impact patient health outcomes. For example, compared to white men, African American men with prostate cancer were more likely to experience longer wait times between diagnosis and treatment, more side effects from treatment, and higher costs of care. Residents in Appalachia have elevated risks of developing and dying from cancer.

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