[Cost-effectiveness of breast cancer screening policies in Mexico].
OBJECTIVE
Generate cost-effectiveness information to allow policy makers optimize breast cancer (BC) policy in Mexico.


METHODS
We constructed a Markov model that incorporates four interrelated processes of the disease: the natural history; detection using mammography; treatment; and other competing-causes mortality, according to which 13 different strategies were modeled.


RESULTS
Strategies (starting age, % of coverage, frequency in years)= (48, 25, 2), (40, 50, 2) and (40, 50, 1) constituted the optimal method for expanding the BC program, yielding 75.3, 116.4 and 171.1 thousand pesos per life-year saved, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The strategies included in the optimal method for expanding the program produce a cost per life-year saved of less than two times the GNP per capita and hence are cost-effective according to WHO Commission on Macroeconomics and Health criteria.
Valencia-Mendoza
Atanacio
A
Dirección de Economía de la Salud, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública. avalencia@correo.insp.mx
Sánchez-González
Gilberto
G
Bautista-Arredondo
Sergio
S
Torres-Mejía
Gabriela
G
Bertozzi
Stefano M
SM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D008390:Markov Chains; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000191:economics*; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged