Financial burden experienced by patients undergoing treatment for malignant gliomas: Updated data.

e19571 Background: Patients undergoing treatment for malignant gliomas often face staggering costs beyond traditional insurance coverage. These “out-of-pocket” costs are organized into these three categories: 1) direct medical costs (e.g. hospital stays, physician visits, laboratory testing); 2) direct non-medical costs (e.g. transportation, parking, food); and 3) indirect costs (e.g. lost wages). The purpose of this study is to gain prospective data regarding monthly expenditures associated with treatment of brain tumors. Methods: Patients with stage III or IV malignant glioma within 6 months of diagnosis or relapse were eligible for this study. Weekly logbooks were issued to patients to record out-of-pocket costs during treatment for six months or until progression. Both direct medical expenses and direct non-medical expenses were measured. Results: Thirty-six patients provided an average of 12 weeks worth of cost data each. Of the patients in this sample, 59% were male, 81% were married, 50% reported a...