"Cancer comes with an incredibly high price tag" per new report, costing Canadian patients and their families $33K on average

How cancer treatment impacts the country's economy as a whole

According to the report, people with cancer and their caregivers shoulder 20% of Canada's total cancer costs – amounting to a staggering $7.5 billion this year alone.

With rising cost of living, and more people in Canada facing a cancer diagnosis thanks to an aging population, this number is expected to climb over the next decade to $8.8 billion per year.

Those in lower income households and those on fixed incomes are disproportionately affected, and those in rural and remote communities far from treatment are paying more for travel costs to receive necessary care.

The report cites Calgary-headquartered accounting firm MNP Ltd., which states that more than 50% of Canadian cancer patients have less than $200 left in their bank accounts at the end of the month after paying their bills.

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Breaking down specific costs Canadians may encounter

Healthcare costs are expected to account for 80% of societal costs for cancer to the tune of approximately $30.2 billion in 2024.

Lung, breast, colorectal and prostate cancer combined are expected to account for 47% of healthcare costs and are projected at $14.2 billion by the end of 2024.

The first year after a cancer diagnosis is the costliest for people with the disease. Costs for people with cancer and their caregivers during this timeframe are projected to total $5.2 billion in 2024, which is just under half of the costs borne by healthcare systems for this phase of care.

"We live in a country with universal healthcare, yet people with cancer are still footing a big bill," Dr. Stuart Edmonds, the society’s EVP, of mission, research and advocacy said in a statement.

"Solving the issue is complex. This is a systemic, societal issue that can't be resolved in isolation. But we know there are choices that governments of all levels can make to reduce the out-of-pocket costs weighing so heavily on people in Canada."

About the report

The report was developed by the Canadian Cancer Statistics Advisory Committee in collaboration with the Canadian Cancer Society, Statistics Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada with cancer data provided by the provincial and territorial cancer registries through the Canadian Cancer Registry. Canadian Partnership Against Cancer completed the majority of the analyses for this report in collaboration with the Health Analysis Division of Statistics Canada. The French translation of this report was completed by the Public Health Agency of Canada.