ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: To analyze the cost effectiveness of the diagnostic program for the germline mutation in BRCA1/2 genes and of preventative strategies for the relatives of patients diagnosed with ovarian cancer associated with this mutation. METHODS: The study analyzed the cost effectiveness by developing an analysis of the Markov decision process from the perspective of the National Health System. The strategies compared reflect upon the adoption of genetic testing and preventative strategies for relatives or the usual care currently proposed. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was expressed in terms of cost per case avoided. The sensitivity analysis was performed in a univariate and deterministic manner. RESULTS: The study showed increments for effectiveness and for costs when performing genetic testing and adopting prophylactic measures for family members. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was estimated at R$908.58 per case of cancer avoided, a figure considered lower than the study's cost-effectiveness threshold (R$7,543.50). CONCLUSIONS: The program analyzed should be considered a cost-effective strategy for the national situation. Studies in various other countries have reached similar conclusions. One possible ramification of this research might the need to perform a budgetary-impact analysis of making the program one of the country's health policies.
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Adolescent , Adult , Ovarian Neoplasms/genetics , Ovarian Neoplasms/prevention & control , Program Evaluation/economics , Germ-Line Mutation/genetics , Genes, BRCA1 , Genes, BRCA2 , Ovarian Neoplasms/economics , Reference Values , Brazil , Breast Neoplasms/genetics , Genetic Testing/economics , Reproducibility of Results , Risk Factors , Markov Chains , Cost-Benefit Analysis , Middle AgedABSTRACT
Objective To study the diagnostic value of CT combined CA125 and HE4 in differentiating the ovarian cancer from the benign.Methods A case-control study included 52 ovarian cancer patients,47 patients with benign ovarian tumors,and 40 healthy control subjects.Preoperative serum levels of HE4 and CA125 were measured and CT was performed.Results The serum levels of CA125 and HE4 in the ovarian cancer groups [(264.37 ± 138.46) KU/L,(280.38 ± 135.14)pmol/L] were significantly high-er than that in the benign ovarian neoplasm group [(52.51 ±5.29) KU/L,(40.52 ± 10.34) pmol/L] and healthy control group [(10.69 ±6.15)KU/L,(37.24 ±9.84) pmol/L] (P ＜0.01).The serum levels of CA125 showed statistically significant difference between the benign ovarian neoplasm groups and healthy control groups (P ＜ 0.05).The serum levels of HE4 did not show statistically significant difference between the benign ovarian neoplasm groups and healthy control groups (P ＞ 0.05).The diagnostic sensitivity (65.4％,80.8％,75.0％),specificity (74.5％,85.1％,76.6％),and accuracy (69.7％,82.8％,75.8％) of each CA125,HE4,CT method for ovarian cancer did not show statistically significant difference (P ＞0.05).The diagnostic sensitivity (92.3％),specificity (93.6％) and accuracy (94.8％) of combination of CA125 and HE4 and CT were significantly higher and showed statistically significant difference compared with one method (x2 =7.461 18.711,P ＜ 0.01),but no significant difference compared with any two methods (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions The serum levels of HE4 and CA125 in the ovarian cancer group were significantly higher,and CT in combination with those two serum indices improved the diagnostic sensitivity,specificity,and accuracy of ovarian cancer.