Cost-effectiveness of primary cytology and HPV DNA cervical screening

Economic evaluation of cervical cancer screening strategies in urban China

Objective

This study evaluated the feasibility of different cervical cancer screening strategies in urban China.

Methods

A Markov model was constructed to simulate a hypothetical cohort of 100,000 females aged 30−59 years in a 20-year period. Screening strategies included liquid-based cytology (LBC) every three years, human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing every three and five years, respectively, and a combination of HPV DNA testing and LBC (HPV+LBC) every three and five years, respectively. Model outcomes included cumulative incidence over 20 years, cumulative risk of cervical cancer, costs, life year saved (LYS), quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and benefits. The cost-effectiveness ratios (CERs), incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs), cost-utility ratios (CURs), and benefit-cost ratios (BCRs) were used as outcomes in the health economic evaluation analysis. Univariate sensitivity analyses were performed to examine the stability of the results.

Results

The cumulative incidence of the five screening strategies ranged from 833.02 to 1,158.07 cases per 100,000 females. HPV DNA testing was most effective in reducing the cumulative risk of cervical cancer, saving life years and QALYs and gaining benefits. The CERs of HPV DNA testing every three and five years, and LBC every three years were considered to be very cost-effective if they were below China’s GDP per capita. The CERs of HPV+LBC were considered to be cost-effective if they were below three times GDP per capita. The incremental cost-effectiveness analysis showed that HPV DNA testing every three and five years, LBC every three years and HPV+LBC every five years were dominant strategies.

Conclusions

The findings of this study indicated that HPV DNA testing every five years or LBC every three years should be recommended in urban China.

A cluster randomised trial of strategies to increase cervical screening uptake at first invitation (STRATEGIC)

BACKGROUND

Falling participation by young women in cervical screening has been observed at a time that has seen an increase in the incidence of cervical cancer in the UK in women aged < 35 years. Various barriers to screening have been documented, including fear, embarrassment and inconvenience.

OBJECTIVES

To measure the feasibility, clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a range of interventions to increase the uptake of cervical screening among young women.

DESIGN

A cluster randomised trial based on general practices performed in two phases.

SETTING

Primary care in Greater Manchester and the Grampian region in Scotland.

PARTICIPANTS

Phase 1: 20,879 women receiving their first invitation for cervical screening. Phase 2: 10,126 women who had not attended by 6 months.

INTERVENTIONS

Phase 1: pre-invitation leaflet or not, and access to online booking (Manchester only). Phase 2: (1) vaginal self-sampling kits (SSKs) sent unrequested (n = 1141); or (2) offered on request (n = 1290); (3) provided with a timed appointment (n = 1629); (4) offered access to a nurse navigator (NN) (n = 1007); or (5) offered a choice between a NN or a SSK (n = 1277); and 3782 women in control practices.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Uplift in screening compared with control practices, cost-effectiveness of interventions, and the women's preferences explored in a discrete choice experiment.

RESULTS

The pre-invitation leaflet and offer of online booking were ineffective when compared with control practices at 3 months, 18.8% versus 19.2% [odds ratio (OR) 0.96, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.88 to 1.06; p = 0.485] and 17.8% versus 17.2% (OR 1.02, 95% CI 0.87 to 1.20; p = 0.802), respectively. The uptake of screening at 3 months was higher among previously human papillomavirus (HPV)-vaccinated women than unvaccinated women, 23.7% versus 11% (OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.69 to 2.53; p < 0.001). Among non-attenders, the SSK sent intervention showed a statistically significant increase in uptake at 12 months post invitation, 21.3% versus 16.2% (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.20 to 1.91; p = 0.001), as did timed appointments, 19.8% versus 16.2% (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.14 to 1.74; p = 0.001). The offer of a NN, a SSK on request, and a choice between timed appointments and NN were ineffective. Overall, there was a gradual rather than prompt response, as demonstrated by uptake among control practices. A discrete choice experiment indicated that women invited who had not yet attended valued the attributes inherent in self-sampling. The health economic analysis showed that both timed appointments and unsolicited SSK sent were likely to be cost-effective at a cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained of £7593 and £8434, respectively, if extended across the national 25-year-old cohort throughout the duration of screening. The certainty of these being cost-effective at a ceiling ratio of £20,000 per QALY gained was > 90%.

CONCLUSION

Women receiving their initial screening invitation frequently delay taking up the offer and the net impact of interventions was small. Timed appointments and SSKs sent to non-attenders at 6 months are likely to be a cost-effective means of increasing uptake and should be considered further. HPV vaccination in the catch-up programme was associated with an increased uptake of cervical screening. Future work should focus on optimising self-sampling in terms of age range, timing of offer for non-attenders and use of urine testing instead of vaginal samples.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN52303479.

FUNDING

This project was funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 20, No. 68. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Cost-effectiveness of cervical cancer screening and preventative cryotherapy at an HIV treatment clinic in Kenya

Objective

This study evaluated the potential cost-effectiveness of cervical cancer screening in HIV treatment clinics in Nairobi, Kenya.

Methods

A Markov model was used to project health outcomes and costs of cervical cancer screening and cryotherapy at an HIV clinic in Kenya using cryotherapy without screening, visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA), Papanicolaou smear (Pap), and testing for human papillomavirus (HPV). Direct and indirect medical and non-medical costs were examined from societal and clinic perspectives.

Results

Costs of cryotherapy, VIA, Pap, and HPV for women with CD4 200–500 cells/mL were $99, $196, $219, and $223 from a societal perspective and $19, $94, $124, and $113 from a clinic perspective, with 17.3, 17.1, 17.1, and 17.1 years of life expectancy, respectively. Women at higher CD4 counts (>500 cells/mL) given cryotherapy VIA, Pap, and HPV resulted in better life expectancies (19.9+ years) and lower cost (societal: $49, $99, $115, and $102; clinic: $13, $51, $71, and $56). VIA was less expensive than HPV unless HPV screening could be reduced to a single visit.

Conclusions

Preventative cryotherapy was the least expensive strategy and resulted in highest projected life expectancy, while VIA was most cost-effective unless HPV could be reduced to a single visit.

Beware of Kinked Frontiers: A Systematic Review of the Choice of Comparator Strategies in Cost-Effectiveness Analyses of Human Papillomavirus Testing in Cervical Screening

OBJECTIVES

To systematically review the choice of comparator strategies in cost-effectiveness analyses (CEAs) of human papillomavirus testing in cervical screening.

METHODS

The PubMed, Web of Knowledge, and Scopus databases were searched to identify eligible model-based CEAs of cervical screening programs using human papillomavirus testing. The eligible CEAs were reviewed to investigate what screening strategies were chosen for analysis and how this choice might have influenced estimates of the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). Selected examples from the reviewed studies are presented to illustrate how the omission of relevant comparators might influence estimates of screening cost-effectiveness.

RESULTS

The search identified 30 eligible CEAs. The omission of relevant comparator strategies appears likely in 18 studies. The ICER estimates in these cases are probably lower than would be estimated had more comparators been included. Five of the 30 studies restricted relevant comparator strategies to sensitivity analyses or other subanalyses not part of the principal base-case analysis. Such exclusion of relevant strategies from the base-case analysis can result in cost-ineffective strategies being identified as cost-effective.

CONCLUSIONS

Many of the CEAs reviewed appear to include insufficient comparator strategies. In particular, they omit strategies with relatively long screening intervals. Omitting relevant comparators matters particularly if it leads to the underestimation of ICERs for strategies around the cost-effectiveness threshold because these strategies are the most policy relevant from the CEA perspective. Consequently, such CEAs may not be providing the best possible policy guidance and lead to the mistaken adoption of cost-ineffective screening strategies.

Attending cervical cancer screening, opportunities and obstacles: a qualitative study on midwives' experiences telephoning non-attendees in Sweden

AIM

As part of a research project aimed at increasing participation in the cervical cancer screening program (CCS), we explored midwives' unique experiences of telephoning non-attendees and offering Pap smear appointments.

METHODS

Twenty midwives, in four focus groups, discussed their experiences of a study investigating ways to increase participation in the CCS. The group discussions were tape-recorded and transcribed verbatim and underwent qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS

Speaking with more than 1000 non-attendees provided the midwives with new perspective on the CCS and they realised that improving it might address a number of reasons for not participating. These reasons were often related to logistics, such as scheduling flexibility and appointment booking. The telephone conversations revealed that some women required more individual attention, while it was discovered that others did not require screening. The midwives considered the CCS to be life-saving; participating in this screening activity gave them a sense of satisfaction and pride.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that midwives can improve access and prevent non-attendance at the cervical cancer screening program when they are aware of women's varying requirements for attending screening.

Overview of the CDC Cervical Cancer (Cx3) Study: an educational intervention of HPV testing for cervical cancer screening

BACKGROUND

The recommended screening interval when using the Papanicolaou (Pap) and human papillomavirus (HPV) test (co-testing) is 5 years. However because providers are reluctant to extend the screening interval, we launched a study to identify barriers to appropriate use of the co-test and to implement an educational intervention to promote evidence-based screening practices. This article provides an overview of the study including the multi-component intervention and participant demographics.

METHODS

The study was conducted in 15 clinics associated with 6 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in Illinois. Each clinic received HPV tests to administer with routine Pap tests among enrolled patients (n=2,246) and was assigned to a study arm: intervention arm (n=7) received a multi-component educational intervention (small media, academic detailing, and website) for providers and printed educational materials for patients, and control arm (n=8) received printed copies of general guidelines. Clinic coordinators (n=15), providers (n=98), and patients (n=984) completed baseline surveys to assess screening practices.

RESULTS

Providers reported an average age of 41.3 years and were predominately female, non-Hispanic, and white. Patients reported an average age of 45.0 years and nearly two-thirds were Hispanic or black. Of the 2,246 patients, 89% had a normal co-test. Lessons learned from the study included the importance of buy-in at a high level in the organization, a champion provider, and a clinical coordinator devoted to the study.

CONCLUSION

Materials from this study can be adapted to educate providers and patients on appropriate use of the co-test and encourage extended screening intervals as a safe and effective practice.

Cost-effectiveness of cervical cancer screening: cytology versus human papillomavirus DNA testing

OBJECTIVE

To determine the most cost-effective screening programme for cervical cancer.

DESIGN

Cost-effectiveness analysis from a societal perspective.

SETTING

The Netherlands.

POPULATION

Dutch women who have not been invited for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination.

METHODS

We calibrated the microsimulation screening analysis (MISCAN) model to Dutch epidemiological data. We used this model to consider nine screening strategies that use: (i) cytological testing with cytology triage for borderline/mildly abnormal smears; (ii) HPV testing with cytology triage for HPV-positive smears; or (iii) cytological testing with HPV triage for borderline/mildly abnormal smears. For each strategy, we varied the number of screening rounds, the time interval, the age of the first screening, and the type of cytological testing (conventional or liquid-based cytology).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained and costs from a societal perspective.

RESULTS

Under the base-case assumptions, primary HPV testing with cytology triage is the most cost-effective strategy. Using cost-effectiveness thresholds of € 20,000 and € 50,000 per QALY gained yields optimal screening programmes with three and seven screening rounds, respectively. The results are sensitive to several uncertain model inputs, most importantly the costs of the HPV test. For women aged 32 years or younger, primary cytology screening is more cost-effective than primary HPV testing.

CONCLUSIONS

Increasing the interval between screening rounds and changing the primary test from cytology to HPV testing can improve the effectiveness and decrease the costs of cervical cancer screening in the Netherlands.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of human papillomavirus DNA testing and Pap smear for cervical cancer screening in a publicly financed health-care system

Objective:

To evaluate the long-term cost-effectiveness of different strategies for human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing combined with Pap smear for cervical cancer screening in Taiwan.

Methods:

This study adopts a perspective of Department of Health in cost-effectiveness analysis to compare a no-screening strategy with nine different screening strategies. These strategies comprise three screening tools (Pap smear alone, HPV DNA testing followed by Pap smear triage, and HPV DNA testing combined with Pap smear), and three screening intervals (annually, every 3 years, and every 5 years). Outcomes are life expectancy, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), lifetime costs, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs). Probabilistic sensitivity analyses (PSAs) were conducted to assess parameter uncertainty.

Results:

When three times gross domestic product per capita is used as the decision threshold, all nine screening strategies were cost-effective compared with the no-screening strategy. Compared with the current screening strategy (an annual Pap smear), HPV DNA testing followed by Pap smear triage every 5 years and every 3 years were cost-effective. Results of PSA also indicated that a HPV DNA testing followed by Pap smear triage every 5 or every 3 years achieved the highest expected net benefits.

Conclusions:

Possible economic advantages are associated with extending the cervical cancer screening interval from one Pap smear annually to HPV DNA testing followed by Pap smear triage every 5 years with an ICER $1 247 000 per QALY gained, especially in a country with a publicly financed health-care system.