Cost-effectiveness of risk-stratified screening for cervical cancer in cohorts vaccinated against human papillomavirus with moderate vaccination coverage
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Background
Cervical cancer screening in the Netherlands consists of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing followed by cytological triage at age 30, 35, 40, 50 and 60 years. Women are also invited at age 45, 55 and 65 years if they did not test HPV-negative five years earlier (risk-based invitation). With influx of birth cohorts vaccinated against HPV, de-intensification may be needed to maintain a cost-effective program.
Methods
We used an updated and recalibrated model of type-specific HPV transmission and cervical carcinogenesis to estimate the cost-effectiveness of 16 strategies with reduced screening intensity. Strategies varied by starting age, screening interval, and number of risk-based invitations, possibly stratified for HPV vaccination status. Cost-effectiveness was measured by net monetary benefit (NMB). A positive NMB indicates that a strategy is cost-effective compared to the current policy.
Findings
Two strategies without stratification for HPV vaccination status had a positive NMB. An NMB of €1.6 million per 100,000 women was obtained when, compared to the current strategy, the invitation at age 35 was based on the HPV-test result at age 30. An NMB of €1.8 million per 100,000 women was obtained when women were invited at age 30 and subsequent invitations from age 35 to 65 were all risk-based. If reduced screening was only applied to vaccinated women, the highest NMB was €1.3 million per 100,000 women.
Interpretation
Reducing screening in HPV-vaccinated cohorts is cost-effective when re-inviting women after ten years if they test HPV-negative. Stratification for HPV vaccination status does not improve the cost-effectiveness of screening.
