Abstract

VALENCIA-MENDOZA, Atanacio et al. Cost-effectiveness of breast cancer screening policies in Mexico. Salud pública Méx [online]. 2009, vol.51, suppl.2, pp.s296-s304. ISSN 0036-3634.

OBJECTIVE: Generate cost-effectiveness information to allow policy makers optimize breast cancer (BC) policy in Mexico. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We constructed a Markov model that incorporates four interrelated processes of the disease: the natural history; detection using mammography; treatment; and other competing-causes mortality, according to which 13 different strategies were modeled. RESULTS: Strategies (starting age, % of coverage, frequency in years)= (48, 25, 2), (40, 50, 2) and (40, 50, 1) constituted the optimal method for expanding the BC program, yielding 75.3, 116.4 and 171.1 thousand pesos per life-year saved, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The strategies included in the optimal method for expanding the program produce a cost per life-year saved of less than two times the GNP per capita and hence are cost-effective according to WHO Commission on Macroeconomics and Health criteria.

Keywords : breast neoplasms; diagnosis; cost-effectiveness evaluation; Mexico.

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