Dr. Secord on Financial Toxicity Associated With PARP Inhibition

Angeles Alvarez Secord, MD, a gynecologic oncologist at Duke Cancer Center, discusses a presentation from the 2020 SGO Winter Meeting that focused on assistance with the financial burden associated with PARP inhibitors in patients with ovarian cancer.

Whitney N. Goldsberry, MD, University of Alabama at Birmingham, researched the financial issues associated with prescribing any type of maintenance in ovarian cancer, but she specifically looked at PARP inhibition maintenance. This research is important because it underscored the need for both patients and providers to be aware of financial assistance programs that are available, Secord says.

With the use of financial assistance programs when using PARP inhibitor in the maintenance setting, the financial toxicity can be reduced. Secord says the financial toxicity is also associated with stress on the patients, which is why it is important to reduce the financial burden on patients.