{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,10]],"date-time":"2026-10-10T13:11:08Z","timestamp":1791637868729,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,20]],"date-time":"2025-05-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1747699200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Paul Calabresi Career Development Award","award":["K12 CA133250"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["K12 CA133250"]}]},{"name":"Paul Calabresi Career Development Award","award":["RSG-22-106-01-CSCT"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["RSG-22-106-01-CSCT"]}]},{"name":"Conquer Cancer Breast Cancer Research Foundation Advanced Clinical Research Award for Diversity and Inclusion in Breast Cancer Research","award":["K12 CA133250"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["K12 CA133250"]}]},{"name":"Conquer Cancer Breast Cancer Research Foundation Advanced Clinical Research Award for Diversity and Inclusion in Breast Cancer Research","award":["RSG-22-106-01-CSCT"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["RSG-22-106-01-CSCT"]}]},{"name":"Society of University Surgeons","award":["K12 CA133250"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["K12 CA133250"]}]},{"name":"Society of University Surgeons","award":["RSG-22-106-01-CSCT"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["RSG-22-106-01-CSCT"]}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000048","name":"American Cancer Society","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["K12 CA133250"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["K12 CA133250"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000048","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000048","name":"American Cancer Society","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["RSG-22-106-01-CSCT"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["RSG-22-106-01-CSCT"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000048","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Cancers"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: Financial distress from the direct and indirect costs of cancer treatment is a critical issue for many patients with breast cancer, particularly those from underserved populations who may be more vulnerable to financial hardship and its negative impacts on quality of life and clinical outcomes (i.e., financial toxicity). Few investigations, however, focus on protective factors that safeguard against financial toxicity. This study explores how social support might reduce financial toxicity among patients with breast cancer who are at high risk for financial hardship. Methods: We analyzed interviews with 41 adult women treated for stage I-IV breast cancer that had been conducted between December 2021 and March 2022. Our study specifically sampled women considered to be at elevated risk for financial toxicity: young adults aged 18\u201340 years old, Black women, women with lower incomes, and those residing in rural communities. We used deductive and inductive coding to identify themes related to social support. Results: Interviewees reported receiving support from family, friends, and their communities during their treatments. They noted how this social support helped with direct and indirect costs, encouraged emotional wellbeing, and safeguarded against economizing behaviors that offset spending (e.g., financial tradeoffs that jeopardize their treatment plan). Conclusions: Patients with breast cancer from groups vulnerable to financial toxicity often rely on the support of family, friends, and their communities to help buffer financial distress from the costs of treatment. These data highlight social support as an area for future studies exploring strategies to mitigate financial toxicity.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/cancers17101712","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,20]],"date-time":"2025-05-20T06:10:46Z","timestamp":1747721446000},"page":"1712","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":9,"title":["The Role of Social Support in Buffering the Financial Toxicity of Breast Cancer: A Qualitative Study of Patient Experiences"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1150-5034","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ramona G.","family":"Olvera","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"CATALYST, Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking in Health Services and Implementation Science Research, College of Medicine, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43202, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4318-3938","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sara P.","family":"Myers","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9109-3473","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alice A.","family":"Gaughan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CATALYST, Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking in Health Services and Implementation Science Research, College of Medicine, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43202, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Willi L.","family":"Tarver","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CATALYST, Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking in Health Services and Implementation Science Research, College of Medicine, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43202, USA"},{"name":"Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0001-6354-2822","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sandy","family":"Lee","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 43210, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Karen","family":"Shiu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CATALYST, Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking in Health Services and Implementation Science Research, College of Medicine, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43202, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3859-6885","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Laura J.","family":"Rush","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CATALYST, Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking in Health Services and Implementation Science Research, College of Medicine, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43202, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tessa","family":"Blevins","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5330-7247","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Samilia","family":"Obeng-Gyasi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9107-5419","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ann Scheck","family":"McAlearney","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CATALYST, Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking in Health Services and Implementation Science Research, College of Medicine, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43202, USA"},{"name":"Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"48","DOI":"10.25082\/CCR.2020.01.004","article-title":"Financial 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