Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2026
Comprehensive & Cost Effective Laboratory Monitoring of HIV/AIDS: an African Role Model
Published on: October 31, 2010
Cost-Effectiveness of Breast Cancer Early Detection Program in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review
Siew Wei Yeong1, Sit Wai Lee2, Siew Chin Ong3
1Discipline of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia; Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Objectives:
This review explores the cost-effectiveness of the strategies used in the breast cancer early detection programs of low- to middle-income countries.
Methods:
A systematic review was performed to identify related studies, published up to August 2021, on PubMed, Cochrane, ProQuest, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. The Cochrane Handbook and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses protocol were referenced during the reporting process. The Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards 2022 criteria were used to assess the requirements of the selected studies. Articles with original data and full texts were included in the review. Non-low- to middle-income countries and non-English articles were excluded.
Results:
This review identified 12 suitable studies, wherein 6 investigated the cost-effectiveness of clinical breast examinations (CBEs), whereas 10 looked into mammogram (MMG) with or without CBE. In 2 studies, the cost-effectiveness of raising awareness through mass media and the use of ultrasounds combined with CBE were investigated. Although cost-effective, MMG incurs greater costs and requires more skill to be performed. MMG screenings before the age of 40 years were not cost-effective. The limitations of this review include variability in the methodological approaches of its selected studies. Most of the chosen studies met the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards 2022 criteria.
Conclusions:
This review shows that adopting an age- and risk-based MMG screening approach could be viable in countries with limited resources. Future cost-effectiveness analysis research should include a section on patient and stakeholder engagement with the study's results.
