Effect of rising chemotherapy costs on the cost savings of colorectal cancer screening.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Although colorectal cancer screening is cost-effective, it requires a considerable net investment by governments or insurance companies. If screening was cost saving, governments and insurance companies might be more inclined to invest in colorectal cancer screening programs. We examined whether colorectal cancer screening would become cost saving with the widespread use of the newer, more expensive chemotherapies.

Methods

We used the MISCAN-Colon microsimulation model to assess whether widespread use of new chemotherapies would affect the treatment savings of colorectal cancer screening in the general population. We considered three scenarios for chemotherapy use: the past, the present, and the near future. We assumed that survival improved and treatment costs fo

SUBMITTER: Lansdorp-Vogelaar I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2765263 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature