Employer Strategies for Cancer Prevention and Treatment

Employer Strategies for Cancer Prevention and Treatment
January 16, 2025 9 mins

Employer Strategies for Cancer Prevention and Treatment

Employer Strategies for Cancer Prevention and Treatment

Nearly 20 million people get cancer each year,1 and the impact is far-reaching — from those diagnosed to their loved ones and colleagues. When developing a meaningful cancer prevention strategy, employers must show empathy and compassion while managing rising costs.

Key Takeaways
  1. Many cancers are preventable, and a thorough prevention strategy can maximize better health outcomes.
  2. Companies should review their approach to providing physical, emotional, financial and social support to both those with cancer and their family caregivers.
  3. By analyzing program data and working with experienced vendors, employers can design a cancer management strategy that holds down costs and improves outcomes.

There have been huge, but expensive, breakthroughs in cancer treatments. Outcomes are improving with new drugs, new treatments and new surgical interventions. However, the price of achieving those outcomes is driving the need for employers to take action to balance the costs of cancer-related employee benefits. As highlighted in Aon’s Global Medical Trend Rate report, addressing cancer risk and treatment is vital to companies looking to control costs in the coming years — and it won’t be easy. With a vast pipeline of new therapies in development, Aon forecasts an 11 to 21 percent increase in the cost of cancer care every year.

At the same time, the five-year survival rate for several types of common cancers is over 90 percent,2 meaning cancer is no longer the death sentence it was perceived to be a mere few decades ago. This also means that employers have new, if welcome, challenges in reintegrating employees back into the workplace after their cancer treatment is over.

Most Cancers are Preventable and Employers Can Play a Role

Many of the most prevalent cancers can either be prevented outright or benefit greatly from early detection. For example, lung cancer is the most common cancer globally, with 2.2 million cases annually. Up to 90 percent of lung cancer deaths are linked to smoking,3 meaning support for cessation programs can go a long way in prevention. Cervical cancer is another common cancer that can be prevented with the HPV vaccine. Similarly, some colorectal cancers can be prevented by removing precancerous polyps during a colonoscopy.

$300K

The median annual treatment cost of new medicines for oncology is nearly $300,000 per patient.

Source: IQVIA

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There are a lot of companies that are using progressive strategies to drive up early detection through screenings, risk assessments and genetic testing. They’re finding creative ways to emphasize prevention and early detection.

Charles E. Smith
MD, Chief Medical Officer, Health Solutions, North America
4 Strategies for Prevention and Early Detection
  1. Offer behavior-focused programs that can reduce cancer risks, such as tobacco cessation, obesity management, diet and nutrition education, and services and exercise programs.
  2. Facilitate screenings that promote early detection, such as skin checks, colonoscopies and mammograms, and multi-cancer early detection blood tests. In places where such screenings or programs are publicly provided, employers can promote and encourage them. Yet, participation in cancer screenings has decreased by nearly two fifths according to one estimate.4 As a result, early detection gaps remain.
  3. Use technology to raise risk awareness. Technology can also help contribute to scalable solutions that can reach more employees.
  4. Shift from population risks to personal risks. For example younger people are being diagnosed more frequently, so focusing on older workers who were traditionally at higher risk will be less effective.

1/5

People develop cancer at some point in their life. About one in nine men and one in 12 women will die from cancer.

Source: World Health Organization

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Workplace Support During Cancer Treatment

Just because most cancers are preventable doesn’t mean all of them are prevented. There are complex and rare cancers, including blood, brain, stomach, pancreatic and aggressive or late-stage cancers, that are often the most difficult and costly to treat. However, with improved treatments, overall cancer survival rates will increase. How employers and managers support workers who are going through treatment, or have family members and colleagues who are, is crucial to retaining and engaging these employees.

Supporting a family member with cancer can be just as difficult and burdensome as a full-time caregiving role. Because cancer is being diagnosed more in younger people, this may even mean caring for a spouse or child. It is estimated that 400,000 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer each year,5 and people under 50 were the only age group where cancer incidence grew between 1995 and 2020.6

4 Strategies for Supporting Employees During Treatment
  1. Care coordination services, where available, can be helpful, especially in more complex cases where the cancer has spread, or multiple systems are affected. A cross-functional care team that also includes support for a healthy lifestyle can ease the burden on the patient as they navigate multiple appointments to avoid unnecessary duplication of diagnostics or tests, which can not only add stress, but also drive up costs.
  2. Certain cancers still come with stigmas, and any cancer can significantly impact an individual’s mental health. Establishing open communications can ease these concerns.
  3. Don’t avoid affected employees for fear of intruding or bothering them. In fact, doing so may make employees feel isolated and that the company doesn’t care about them. There is a positive correlation to employees returning after treatment and receiving employer support during treatment.7
  4. Many employees may not realize the full extent of their benefit offerings, which often include paid time off (including caregiver leave), flexible work, short-term and long-term disability, critical illness coverage and mental health support.

Social support is another vital part of the cancer journey. Employee resource groups, for both those with cancer and their caregivers, provide a sense of community that can improve physical and emotional wellbeing. Corporate commitments like the Working With Cancer Working With Cancer pledge can signal the organization’s commitment to help its employees.

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Employers are now starting to think through how they can structure a holistic cancer strategy that goes beyond prevention and into supporting employees who are taking care of loved ones with cancer.

Céline Ng Tong
Global Business Development Director, Global Benefits, United Kingdom

Because more cancers are survivable in the long term, employers need to have a plan to reintegrate workers back into the workforce. These plans may resemble those already in place for workers out with workplace injuries, with adjustments for the emotional trauma many cancer survivors experience. Establishing a plan at the outset of treatment can give employees the peace of mind they need to stay on leave until they are truly ready. Frequent communications and encouragement can additionally help ease the transition back to work.

Using Data and Analytics to Control Cancer-Related Costs

A good cancer management strategy is one that incorporates data in its decision making. Whether it’s to inform vendor management strategy or determine potential at-risk populations, collecting and analyzing data can help inform a thoughtful approach.

4 Strategies for Addressing the Cost of Cancer Care
  1. Where possible, select the right vendor. Using vendors who work together to refer patients can help ease the administrative burden for patients and prevent costly duplication of tests and appointments.
  2. Collect and analyze data to inform a cancer strategy. There is more data available than some may think. Health data from sources like screening, wellness programs and absence data can help to identify and address health risks among employees. Additionally, an increasing number of vendors can combine data from multiple sources, leading to better data analysis.
  3. Use technology to analyze population health risks and predict costs. Solutions like Aon’s Health Risk Analyzer use machine learning to help companies improve their care management and budget planning by assisting with more accurate forecasting. Once the data is analyzed, risks can be identified early and monitored.
  4. Integrated wellbeing care allows employers to keep costs lower. Economically disadvantaged populations tend to have higher risk, more advanced disease at diagnosis and fewer treatment options. Therefore, it’s important to review wellbeing plans for compliance with equity commitment and affordability.8

$25T

Estimated global economic cost of cancers from 2020 to 2050

Source: Journal of the American Medical Association Oncology

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Something companies can do to help with the social wellbeing aspect is to create employee resource groups and provide manager training on support -- not just around cancer. This can give employees the social network and support they need.

Joana Coelho
Regional Consultant, Health Solutions, Europe, the Middle East and Africa

Availability and type of providers will vary greatly by country and region. In some areas where healthcare is publicly provided, there may not be as much choice in provider or type of treatment available. That’s why employers operating globally should establish a global benefits identity to provide locally relevant benefits to their employees or set global guidelines to ensure holistic and comprehensive cancer support. Differing systems may also mean there is less opportunity to collect and share data.

79%

Incidence of early-onset cancer increased by 79 percent between 1990-2019.

Source: BMJ Oncology

Supporting Employees Through a Difficult Journey

Despite best efforts, cancer can still be permanently debilitating or fatal. Employers should review life insurance, long-term care and other programs to ensure employees who need it are covered. Other considerations include end of life care, such as resources for family members and caregivers. Younger employees especially may not be prepared with paperwork like advance care planning, power-of-attorney, wills, property considerations like trusts, burial and end of life counseling, much of which may be available through legal insurance plans.

A cancer diagnosis is life changing for employees and their families. The support they receive from an employer — from medical care to peace of mind around financial wellbeing — can make all the difference. By showing that they are working on the employee’s behalf through prevention, treatment and other support, employers can alleviate some challenges, while also demonstrating the value they place on their people.

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Investing in cancer care support programs enhances employee well-being, reduces absenteeism, and fosters a loyal, productive workforce. It's a strategic move for a healthier, more resilient organization.

Susan Fanning
Head of Wellbeing Solutions, Asia Pacific
Aon’s Thought Leaders
  • Joana Coelho
    Regional Consultant, Health Solutions, Europe, the Middle East and Africa
  • Susan Fanning
    Head of Wellbeing Solutions, Asia Pacific
  • Céline Ng Tong
    Global Business Development Director, Global Benefits, United Kingdom
  • Charles E. Smith
    MD, Chief Medical Officer, Health Solutions, North America

1 Global cancer burden growing, amidst mounting need for services, World Health Organization
2 Cancer Survival Rate, Cleveland Clinic
3 Lung Cancer Risk Factors, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
4 The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on delays and disruptions in cancer care services: a systematic review and meta-analysis, Nature Cancer
5 Childhood Cancer, World Health Organization
6 2024—First Year the US Expects More than 2M New Cases of Cancer, American Cancer Society
7 The challenge of return to work in workers with cancer: employer priorities despite variation in social policies related to work and health, Journal of Cancer Survivors
8 Geographic Residency Status and Census Tract Socioeconomic Status as Determinants of Colorectal Cancer Outcomes, American Journal of Public Health

General Disclaimer

The information contained herein and the statements expressed are of a general nature and are not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Although we endeavor to provide accurate and timely information and use sources we consider reliable, there can be no guarantee that such information is accurate as of the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future. No one should act on such information without appropriate professional advice after a thorough examination of the particular situation.

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