5 Ways to Avoid Financial Stress with Metastatic Breast Cancer

Metastatic breast cancer (MBC), or stage 4 breast cancer, starts in the breasts and spreads to other body parts.

Cancer metastasizes or spreads when it invades healthy cells or when the lymph system carries cancerous cells to other body parts.

About 5 percent of people who receive a breast cancer diagnosis receive an initial diagnosis of MBC.

Breast cancer can cause emotional, mental, and financial stress. Here are ways to manage this aspect of a metastatic breast cancer diagnosis.

What Are the Common Causes of Financial Stress?

Treatment for MBC can include:

Chemotherapy
Radiation
Surgery

You may also need targeted drug therapy or immunotherapy to strengthen your immune system, fight the cancer, and shrink or destroy cancerous cells.

An MBC diagnosis affects people differently. Some people are more likely to feel a financial strain.

One cause of financial stress is a lack of health insurance.

A 2018 survey of more than 1,500 women with MBC found that approximately 35% didn’t have health insurance. Of those women, 70% were concerned about the financial impact of cancer.

Some people with MBC need treatment for life. The financial cost of stage 4 breast cancer can be much higher than stage 1 breast cancer. This can lead to an increase in financial stress.

Treatment costs may vary. The monthly cost of treating MBC is about $4,463, compared with only $2,418 for treating stage 1 breast cancer.

Common concerns of women who don’t have health insurance include:

Inability to pay their medical bills
Loss of income from not working
Fear of collection agencies

Having health insurance doesn’t necessarily ease financial concerns.

The 2018 survey found that even people with health insurance experienced financial stress after an MBC diagnosis.

For some women, financial stress is due to concerns about out-of-pocket expenses for treatments.

Even though health insurance covers many cancer-related treatments, most people are still responsible for health insurance deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance.

Being unable to work during cancer treatments adds to the stress. An inability to work coupled with high medical costs often triggers worries about losing assets.

How Does Stress Impact Health?

Stress is a natural bodily response. Stressful situations trigger a fight-or-flight reaction, where your body releases adrenaline, cortisol, and other hormones to help you respond to possible threats.

Short-term stress isn’t usually harmful, but chronic stress can lead to too much cortisol and adrenaline, triggering an inflammatory state. And according to research, chronic inflammation may lead to tumor growth and cause cancer to spread.

How to Manage Stress After a Cancer Diagnosis

It’s important to learn healthy ways to manage your stress. Here are 5 ways to help relieve stress after a breast cancer diagnosis.

Exercise

Exercise may improve sleep, increase energy levels, and relieve stress.

Exercise releases hormones like endorphins and dopamine. These are feel-good hormones that can improve your mental state.

Self-care

Taking care of your body and mind can also relieve stress. Spend time focusing on yourself and taking part in hobbies.

Practice mindfulness techniques. Listen to music, meditate, or breathe deeply.

Know your limitations

If you’re not feeling well, don’t overextend yourself by taking on too many tasks.

Get enough sleep

Lack of sleep can also cause stress. Aim for at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night.

To improve sleep quality, limit daytime naps and make your room as comfortable as possible. It’s best to sleep in a cool, dark, and quiet environment.

Don’t isolate

Spend time with close family and friends. It helps to talk with someone and share your experience. If you don’t feel comfortable speaking with a friend or family member, join a support group, whether in-person or online.