Age-related cancer detection rate and costs for one cancer detected in one screening by immunochemical fecal occult blood test.

Abstract

This study was performed to assess, from the aspects of screening efficiency and cost-effectiveness, the optimal lower limit of age in immunochemical occult blood screening for colorectal cancer. Seven thousand four hundred asymptomatic individuals were the subjects of this study. They gave samples for an immunochemical fecal occult blood test (OC-Hemodia), and colonoscopy was performed during a medical checkup. They were divided into three groups according to their ages: younger (40-49), middle (50-59), and older (60+) groups. The detection rate for colorectal cancer and the average costs to detect one patient with colorectal cancer were evaluated among the three groups. The detection rate for colorectal cancer and the average costs to detect one cancer patient were calculated as 0.3 percent and $6024 for the younger group, 1.6 percent and $1425 for the middle group, and 1.7 percent and $1410 for the older group, respectively. The cancer detection rate was significantly different between the younger and middle groups (P < 0.05) and between the younger and older groups (P < 0.05). This analysis suggests that the subjects aged less than 50 have some disadvantage when carrying out the immunochemical fecal occult blood test, OC-Hemodia for colorectal cancer screening, from the aspects of screening efficiency and cost-effectiveness.