A landmark report illustrating the many physical, emotional, financial, practical and informational needs cancer patients experience during and after clinical treatment was released today by CancerCare, a national nonprofit organisation that provides free psychosocial support, education and financial assistance to anyone affected by cancer.

The 2016 Patient Access and Engagement Report reflects the perspectives of more than 3,000 patients diverse in ethnicity, income, education, geography, age, insurance, cancer type and treatment stage regarding their understanding of their diagnosis and access to care, participation in treatment planning, communication and engagement with providers, insurance and financial issues, the impact of cancer on quality of life, and issues related to survivorship.

"Cancer takes its toll in many ways, some of which last for years and cause debilitating distress for patients and families," explains Patricia J. Goldsmith, CancerCare Chief Executive Officer. "This report, reflecting the input of thousands of patients, sheds light on the important issues affecting patients' lives during and beyond a cancer diagnosis. CancerCare conducted this study to learn more about how patients experience life after a cancer diagnosis, in order to inform our program development and most accurately represent and address the needs of patients throughout their continuum of care and after clinical treatment is complete."

The report and chart deck, downloadable and available for free here, provide details and data from six separate on-line surveys, each completed from July to November of 2015.

Source: CancerCare