TABLE 1.

Common approaches to conceptualizing financial aspects of cancer care

Terms	Definitions	References
Financial burden	A relatively objective measure of personal financial status, defined as the ratio of total out-of-pocket spending on health-related costs (medical and nonmedical expenses) to total household income	68–71
Financial distress	A subjective measure of the impact of financial burden on patient well-being; captures the affective experience and reflects the extent of worry, anxiety, or anguish about financial burden, experienced or anticipated	72,73
Financial hardship	Difficulty one might experience in attempting to secure financial resources; can be expressed in domains such as finances, health, and food (eg, difficulty paying bills, ongoing financial stress, medication reduction to reduce cost, food insecurity)	1,36
Financial toxicity	The adverse economic consequences to patients resulting from treatments and disease; conveys the harmful personal financial burden faced by patients receiving cancer treatment. Implicit is the notion that financial toxicity may be reduced through informed decision making about tests, procedures, and therapies that align with patients’ priorities and financial resources.	24,28,29,31