Cost-effectiveness of cervical cancer screening

In the last two decades, computer-based models of cervical cancer screening have been used to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of different secondary prevention policies. Analyses in countries with existing screening programs have focused on identifying the optimal screening interval, ages for starting and stopping screening, and consideration of enhancements to conventional cytology, such as human papillomavirus (HPV)-DNA testing as a triage for equivocal results or as a primary screening test for women over the age of 30. Analyses in resource-poor settings with infrequent or no screening have focused on strategies that enhance the linkage between screening and treatment, consider noncytologic alternatives such as HPV-DNA testing, and target women between the ages of 35 and 45 for screening one, two, or three times per lifetime. Despite differences in methods and assumptions, this paper identifies the qualitative themes that are consistent among studies, and highlights important methodological challenges and high-priority areas for further work. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.