Methodological Review of Cost Effectiveness Analysis of Cancer Screening

Jung, Ki Taig

Abstract

The role of economic evaluation for medical services can be summarixed as providing objective criteria for rational bgudget allocation. With medical and epidemiologial studies, cost effectiveness analysis of cancer screening will provide evidence for allocating more financial resources for cancer screening. This study reviewed comprehensive literature of cancer screening for cervical cancer and breast cancer. Through the extensive review of the literature, I suggest crucial issues of cancer screening and checkpoints in designing costeffectiveness analyses of cervical and breast cancers. The issues of cervical and breast cancer screening include ages of starting and terminating mass screening, screening interval and frequency, false positive rate, false negative rate, analytical models, and sensitivity analysis. In addition, cost effectiveness analysis of breast cancer should consider effects of screening methods-self examination, clinical examination, and mammography-that varies across different nations on cost effectiveness ratio. Study results of most issues would be relevant for performing cost effectiveness analysis of cancer screening in Korea. However, difference in incidence rate, medical fees and reimbursement by insurance across nations should be considered in designing cost effectiveness analysis.