The right to be forgotten: a change in access to insurance and loans after childhood cancer?

PURPOSE: Access to insurance for a loan or a mortgage is an important issue for childhood cancer survivors. The aim of this study was to describe difficulties experienced by adult survivors.

METHODS: A total of 1920 survivors treated before the age of 18 in five French cancer centers responded to a questionnaire in 2010. Survivors who had tried to obtain a loan were asked if they had experienced difficulties, which were defined as experiencing rejection, higher premiums, or exclusions. The questionnaire investigated health problems related to the circulatory, respiratory, digestive, urinary, endocrine, hormonal, and nervous systems. Second tumors, diabetes mellitus, cardiac disease, and stroke were ascertained from a physician's report or medical records. Multivariable analyses were conducted to identify the characteristics of survivors reporting difficulties.

RESULTS: Difficulties were experienced by 10.4% of those who had tried to obtain a small loan (n = 787) and by 30.1% of those who had tried to obtain a home loan (n = 909). Disclosure of childhood cancer to the insurer and amputation surgery were negatively associated with insurance accessibility, even when controlling for age, gender, education, health-related unemployment, familial situation, and severe or life-threatening conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, second cancers, or diabetes.

CONCLUSION: This study showed that the financial burden of cancer can extend decades after diagnosis.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Thanks to a 2016 law, French cancer survivors no longer have to disclose their cancer to insurers after a fixed number of years. This law will probably lessen the socioeconomic burden of cancer.