Endoscopic Screening for Gastric Cancer

Background & Aims: Population endoscopic screening for gastric cancer is generally deemed not to be cost-effective except in Japan, where its prevalence is very high. However, in the absence of screening, patients present with advanced disease, and prognosis is poor. We conducted a cost utility analysis to determine whether endoscopic screening for stomach cancer in intermediate-risk population would be cost-effective and to better define the high-risk groups in the population who would benefit from such strategy. Methods: Cost-effectiveness analysis was performed by using a Markov Model. Simulation was performed on Singapore (intermediate-risk) population and various high-risk subgroups. Comparison was made between 2-yearly endoscopic mass screening program versus no screening. Data sources were extracted from relevant studies published from 1980–2004 identified via systematic PUBMED search. Main outcome measures were deaths caused by stomach cancer averted, cost per life saved, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio expressed as cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) saved. Results: Screening of high-risk group of Chinese men (age-standardized rate, 25.9/100,000) from 50–70 years old is highly cost-effective, with cost benefit of United States $26,836 per QALY. Screening this cohort of 199,000 subjects prevents 743 stomach cancer deaths and saves 8234 absolute life years. Cost of averting 1 cancer death is United States $247,600. Cost-effectiveness was most sensitive to incidence of stomach cancer and cost of screening endoscopy. Conclusions: Screening of stomach cancer in moderate to high-risk population subgroups is cost-effective. Targeted screening strategies for stomach cancer should be explored.