Costs and Benefits of Different Strategies to Screen for Cervical Cancer in Less-Developed Countries

Background: About 80% of cervical cancers occur in less-developed countries. This disproportionate burden of cervical cancer in such countries is due mainly to the lack of well-organized screening programs. Several cervical cancer screening strategies have been proposed as more cost-effective than c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:JNCI : Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2002-10, Vol.94 (19), p.1469-1483
Main Authors: Mandelblatt, Jeanne S., Lawrence, William F., Gaffikin, Lynne, Limpahayom, Khunying Kobchitt, Lumbiganon, Pisake, Warakamin, Suwanna, King, Jason, Yi, Bin, Ringers, Patricia, Blumenthal, Paul D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acetic Acid
Adult
Age Factors
Aged
Benefit cost analysis
Biological and medical sciences
Biopsy
Cervical cancer
Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia - diagnosis
Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia - economics
Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia - epidemiology
Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia - virology
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Cryotherapy
Developing Countries
Disease Progression
DNA, Viral - analysis
Female
Female genital diseases
Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics
Health Policy - economics
Humans
Incidence
LDCs
Life Expectancy
Mass Screening - economics
Medical sciences
Medical screening
Middle Aged
Models, Theoretical
Papanicolaou Test
Papillomaviridae - isolation & purification
Papillomavirus Infections - diagnosis
Thailand - epidemiology
Tumor Virus Infections - diagnosis
Tumors
Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - diagnosis
Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - economics
Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - epidemiology
Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - virology
Vaginal Smears - economics
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Summary:Background: About 80% of cervical cancers occur in less-developed countries. This disproportionate burden of cervical cancer in such countries is due mainly to the lack of well-organized screening programs. Several cervical cancer screening strategies have been proposed as more cost-effective than cytology screening. We compared the costs and benefits of different strategies and their effectiveness in saving lives in a less-developed country. Methods: We used a population-based simulation model to evaluate the incremental societal costs and benefits in Thailand of seven screening techniques, including visual inspection of the cervix after applying acetic acid (VIA), human papillomavirus (HPV) testing, Pap smear, and combinations of screening tests, and examined the discounted costs per year of life saved (LYS). Results: Compared with no (i.e., not well-organized) screening, all strategies saved lives, at costs ranging from $121 to $6720 per LYS, and reduced mortality, by up to 58%. Comparing each strategy with the next least expensive alternative, VIA performed at 5-year intervals in women of ages 35–55 with immediate treatment if abnormalities are found was the least expensive option and saved the greatest number of lives, with a cost of $517 per LYS. HPV screening resulted in similar costs and benefits, if the test cost is $5 and if 90% of women undergo follow-up after an abnormal screen. Cytology (Pap smear) was a reasonable alternative if sensitivity exceeds 80% and if 90% of women undergo follow-up. Compared with no screening, use of a combination of Pap smear and HPV testing at 5-year intervals in women of ages 20–70 could achieve greater than 90% reduction in cervical cancer mortality at a cost of $1683 per LYS, and VIA could achieve 83% reduction at $524 per LYS. Conclusions: Well-organized screening programs can reduce cervical cancer mortality in less-developed countries at low costs. These cost-effectiveness data can enhance decision-making about optimal policies for a given setting.
ISSN:0027-8874
1460-2105
DOI:10.1093/jnci/94.19.1469