BACKGROUND, The observed increase in sojourn time for preclinical breast ca
rcinoma raises the question of whether women age greater than or equal to 6
5 years can be screened less frequently than younger women.
METHODS. A cost-utility analysis using a computer model that simulates the
demography, epidemiology, and natural history of breast carcinoma to estima
te expected life-years gained, extra incidence, extra life-years with disea
se, and costs incurred by different breast carcinoma screening programs in
the general population was conducted.
RESULTS. The estimated ratio of favorable/unfavorable effects was lower for
longer screening intervals compared with shorter screening intervals. The
cost-effectiveness ratio was much less favorable in shorter screening inter
vals.
CONCLUSIONS, The results of the current analysis showed that although a lon
ger sojourn time for preclinical breast carcinoma should not necessarily be
accompanied by a longer screening interval, a shorter screening interval w
as not very efficient. (C) 1999 American Cancer Society.