Financial toxicity of cancer in Latin America and the Caribbean A systematic review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56294/nds2025167Keywords:
Cancer, Financial toxicity, medical costs, Latin America and the Caribbean, Oncology careAbstract
As the incidence of cancer increases worldwide, the costs associated with cancer care and management also increase, generating a heavy financial burden on the economies of nations, affecting the quality of life of patients and negatively impacting the economic well-being of families. Objective: To analyze the impact of financial toxicity during oncological care in Latin America and the Caribbean. Methodology: This systematic review was carried out between December 2024 and December 2025, the documentation was obtained from the databases contained in the academic search engines PubMed, Google Scholar, Dialnet, BVS, and Redalyc. Results: Fourteen studies were identified that address the financial burden of cancer, highlighting those direct costs represent between 4% and 7% of GDP in many countries in the region. Indirect costs, such as loss of labor productivity, and intangible costs are also significant, further exacerbating stress and anxiety. Inequalities in access to health care, obsolescence of health infrastructure and lack of specialized personnel contribute to this reality. Conclusions: This systematic review clearly show how financial toxicity during cancer care negatively impacts the budgets of Latin American and Caribbean nations, as well as patients and families, in addition to resulting in a long-term economic burden that can lead to financial bankruptcy for the family group.
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