Cost-Effectiveness of Colorectal Cancer Screening Strategies: An Update

All colorectal cancer screening tests currently in use are believed to be cost-effective at levels well below accepted thresholds. In some studies, colorectal cancer screening has even resulted in cost savings, particularly as the cost of cancer care increases. Now, investigators have used a modeling approach to compare the cost-effectiveness of colonoscopy every 10 years, flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years, annual fecal occult blood testing, annual fecal immunochemical testing (FIT), and combination of flexible sigmoidoscopy and FIT.

In the base case, FIT was the most cost-effective strategy, but its advantage was dependent on adherence. Flexible sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy were also cost-effective when adherence rates for FIT were lowe…