The cost-effectiveness of papillomavirus testing

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

A study shows that incorporation of human papillomavirus testing into cervical cancer screening offers health benefit at reasonable cost.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is now known to be a major cause of cervical cancer. Cervical screening has reduced mortality from the disease, but could adding HPV testing produce further benefit? A team at Harvard School of Public Health and colleagues at Columbia University assessed the screening programs of France, Italy, The Netherlands and the UK, looking at what might happen if HPV testing were incorporated.

Two strategies were considered. In the first, a women would have HPV testing if she had an abnormal smear. In the second, a woman would have smear testing alone to age 30 and then smear testing and HPV testing combined. The researchers conclude that both approaches would save extra lives and the extra costs would not be onerous. So there is a strong case of developing cervical cancer screening programs to include testing for HPV.

Source
Journal of the National Cancer Institute 15th June 2005 Volume 97 pages 888-895

Please take a moment to give us your comments. For questions about Health matters you may check our "Questions & Answers" Portal and Service.