Cost-effectiveness of monolayers and human papillomavirus testing comparedto that of conventional Papanicolaou smears for cervical cancer screening:Protocol of the study of the French Society of Clinical Cytology

The Fr-each Society of Clinical Cytology is conducting a study to compare t ire cost-effectiveness of monolayers and human papillomavirus (HPV) testing with that of conventional Papanicolaou (Pap) smears for cervical cancer sc reening. The protocol of this study is presented it includes 3,000 women wh o will be evaluated by the three methods (conventional Pap smears, or monol ayers with or without HPV testing) and by the reference method: colposcopy followed. in cases with abnormalities, by cervical biopsy. Efficacy or perf ormance of the methods will be compared on the basis of sensitivity. Cost c omparisons and cost-effectiveness modeling will be based on the costs assoc iated with methods themselves and also the costs of "false positives. " Thi s will require specific collection of data concerning the costs of the thre e methods, as these costs have not previously been accurately documented. P atient recuiting and data collection started in September 1999 and will be complete in June 2000. The first results are expected to be available in sp ring 2001. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss.Inc.