[Cost-effectiveness of screening for colorectal cancer in Argentina.]

Abstract

International evidence show that screening for colorectal cancer is cost-effective; however, in Argentina is unknown.

Objective: The study shows the results of a cost-effectiveness evaluation based on two alternative mechanisms: annual faecal immunochemical testing (FIT), and colonoscopy every ten years in Argentina.

Methods: The study develops a Mar- kov model in ten stages, based on information provided by the INC, prior literature review and on-line questionnaires to physicians enrolled in the four major scientific societies related to cancer. Cost information arrived from the Na- tional Superintendence of Social Health Insurances and a sample of managers in social and private insurance schemes.

Results: The most cost-effective strategy consisted annual FIT, in comparison no intervention and colonoscopy every 10 years. The incremental cost effectiveness ratio (ICER) of FIT versus no intervention was of 980.5 pesos per QALY The findings were robust to deterministic sensitivity analysis.

Conclusions: We confirmed that screening for CRC is a cost-effective intervention. Whereas the CCR is one of the leading causes of mortality in Argentina, these results support the widespread use of screening for CRC using anual FIT which proves to be highly cost effective for the country.