OBJECTIVES

To demonstrate that the implementation of high-risk test in the algorithm for cervical cancer prevention has positive effects on the Social Security institution's budget by reducing the costs associated with the treatment of cervical malignancy.

METHODS

The BIA has been carried out from the perspective of Social Security with patients between 30 and 65 years of age at the second level of care, screened with the cobas®4800 for high-risk HPV in the years 2015-2016.

The BIA, in this period, has been calculated by imputing the cost of implementing the high-risk HPV test to the number of patients identified, by applying the local epidemiological incidence (11.9%)* estimating who will subsequently follow the algorithm to identify those who have premalignant or malignant lesions.

Based on the protocol to be followed with the women tested, the one-year follow-up of a representative sample is reviewed in order to identify the adequate follow-up.

The costs of treatment of the different stages of cervical cancer are in accordance with the local study of supply and demand of oncological services and estimation of costs associated with cervical cancer in Ecuador in 2017.

RESULTS

From the total population screened (19.686) with the high-risk HPV test, 2603 women were positive.

From this group, 104 women (4%) can possibly develop cervical cancer, which represents a potential cost to 10 years in treatment for cervical cancer including all stages of the disease, according to the progression of the disease.

CONCLUSIONS

The implementation of the high-risk HPV test allows us to identify women who may have an increased risk of developing cervical cancer, generating positive budgetary impacts to the institution. If all the patients in the follow-up program can be included, it would save the institution approximately 15'196.933,56 USD in treatment for cervical cancer including all stages of the disease.