As if dealing with the physiological and psychological burdens of an illness weren’t enough, the monetary impacts may also make recovery an uphill battle.
The average cancer patient in Canada incurs nearly $33,000 in costs including out-of-pocket expenses and lost income during treatment and recovery. This is according to* Canadian Cancer Statistics: A 2024 special report on the economic impact of cancer in Canada* from the Canadian Cancer Society.
"Cancer comes with an incredibly high price tag – it’s unacceptable to know that such a significant portion of costs fall on people with cancer and their families," Dr. Jennifer Gillis, the Canadian Cancer Society’s director of surveillance, said in a statement.
"This report gives us a look at just how high those costs are. With this new data, we must ask ourselves what more can be done to support Canadians at a time when their focus should be on their health and recovery."
The total cost of cancer to Canadians is expected to be $37.7 billion in 2024.
How cancer treatment impacts the country’s economy as a whole
According to the report, people with cancer and their caregivers shoulder 20% of Canada’s total cancer costs – amounting to a staggering $7.5 billion this year alone.
With rising cost of living, and more people in Canada facing a cancer diagnosis thanks to an aging population, this number is expected to climb over the next decade to $8.8 billion per year.
Those in lower income households and those on fixed incomes are disproportionately affected, and those in rural and remote communities far from treatment are paying more for travel costs to receive necessary care.
Breaking down specific costs Canadians may encounter
Healthcare costs are expected to account for 80% of societal costs for cancer to the tune of approximately $30.2 billion in 2024.
Lung, breast, colorectal and prostate cancer combined are expected to account for 47% of healthcare costs and are projected at $14.2 billion by the end of 2024.
The first year after a cancer diagnosis is the costliest for people with the disease. Costs for people with cancer and their caregivers during this timeframe are projected to total $5.2 billion in 2024, which is just under half of the costs borne by healthcare systems for this phase of care.
"We live in a country with universal healthcare, yet people with cancer are still footing a big bill," Dr. Stuart Edmonds, the society’s EVP, of mission, research and advocacy said in a statement.
"Solving the issue is complex. This is a systemic, societal issue that can’t be resolved in isolation. But we know there are choices that governments of all levels can make to reduce the out-of-pocket costs weighing so heavily on people in Canada."
About the report
The report was developed by the Canadian Cancer Statistics Advisory Committee in collaboration with the Canadian Cancer Society, Statistics Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada with cancer data provided by the provincial and territorial cancer registries through the Canadian Cancer Registry. Canadian Partnership Against Cancer completed the majority of the analyses for this report in collaboration with the Health Analysis Division of Statistics Canada. The French translation of this report was completed by the Public Health Agency of Canada.
This article "Cancer comes with an incredibly high price tag" per new report, costing Canadian patients and their families $33K on average originally appeared on Money.ca
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