Breast cancer patients suffer considerable wage losses in first year after diagnosis

The percentage of annual wages lost varied considerably in the study population. The women who were more likely to suffer large wage losses were less educated, lived farther from the hospital where they underwent treatment, had more serious disease, had less social support, required chemotherapy, or were self-employed, worked part-time or were recently hired at their current job.

“Overall, these findings point to wage losses from breast cancer in Canada as an important adverse consequence of this disease,” the authors write. “These findings should sensitize clinicians to the real extent to which wage losses resulting from breast cancer can substantially and negatively affect the financial situation of working women and their families.”

Contact: Jean Hamann, , (418) 656-7266

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