Table 1

Cost, effect and net benefit for all the included strategies for a cohort of 100 000 subjects invited for screening

 No screening Aspirin Sigmoidoscopy Sigmoidoscopy and aspirin Colonoscopy Colonoscopy and aspirin CRC cases (n) 5903 3858 4078 2487 1759 1105 CRC prevented (n) – 2045 1824 3415 4014 4605 CRC prevention rate (%) – 35 31 58 68 78 CRC deaths (n) 2482 1458 1503 779 803 477 CRC death prevention rate (%) – 41 39 69 68 81 Life-years gained (n) – 6232 7945 12 215 13 922 15 108 Gain in life expectancy per person (days) – 23 29 45 51 55 Screening cost (US$per person) – 299 1293 1596 2486 2788 Care for CRC (US$ per person) 2227 1492 1524 944 619 381 Total (US$per person) 2227 1791 2817 2540 3105 3169 ICER vs no screening (US$ per life-year gained) – Dominates (saving US\$436 per person)* 7434 6511 6307 6237
• * When a strategy was more effective and less costly than no screening (no screening being dominated), saving per person instead of the ICER was provided.

• CRC, colorectal cancer; ICER, incremental cost-effectiveness ratio.