Racial and ethnic colorectal cancer patterns affect the cost-effectivenessof colorectal cancer screening in the United States

Background&Aims: Colorectal cancer screening beginning at age 50 is recomme nded for all Americans considered at "average" risk for the development of colorectal cancer. Methods: We used 1988-1995 California Cancer Registry da ta to compare the cost-effectiveness of two 35-year colorectal cancer scree ning interventions among Asians, blacks, Latinos, and Whites. Results: Aver age annual age-specific colorectal cancer incidence rates were highest in b lacks and lowest in Latinos. Screening beginning at age 50 was most cost-ef fective in blacks and least cost-effective in Latinos (measured as dollars spent per year of life saved), using annual fecal occult blood testing (FOB T) combined with flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years and using colonoscopy every 10 years. A 35-year screening program beginning in blacks at age 42, whites at age 44, or Asians at age 46 was more cost-effective than screeni ng Latinos beginning at age 50, Conclusions: Colorectal cancer screening pr ograms beginning at age 50, using either FOBT and flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy in each racial or ethnic group, are within the $40,000-$60,000 per year of life saved upper cost limit considered acceptable for preventi ve strategies. Screening is most cost-effective in blacks because of high a ge-specific colorectal cancer incidence rates.