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Accepted for/Published in: Journal of Medical Internet Research

Date Submitted: Oct 21, 2024
Date Accepted: Apr 28, 2025

The final, peer-reviewed published version of this preprint can be found here:

The Cost-Effectiveness of AI-Assisted Colonoscopy as a Primary or Secondary Screening Test in a Population-Based Colorectal Cancer Screening Program: Markov Modeling–Based Cost Effectiveness Analysis

Wong MC, Huang J, Lam TY, Lau LH, Chiu PW

The Cost-Effectiveness of AI-Assisted Colonoscopy as a Primary or Secondary Screening Test in a Population-Based Colorectal Cancer Screening Program: Markov Modeling–Based Cost Effectiveness Analysis

J Med Internet Res 2025;27:e67762

DOI: 10.2196/67762

PMID: 41002070

PMCID: 12514409

The cost-effectiveness of Artificial Intelligence-assisted Colonoscopy as a primary or secondary screening test in population-based colorectal cancer screening programme: a Markov modelling study

  • Martin CS Wong; 
  • Junjie Huang; 
  • Thomas YT Lam; 
  • Louis HS Lau; 
  • Philip WY Chiu

ABSTRACT

Background:

The study provided the cost-effectiveness of using AI colonoscopy in different population-based CRC screening strategies.

Objective:

The study aimed to provide insights into the potential benefits and economic implications of incorporating AI colonoscopy into CRC screening programs.

Methods:

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of different population-based colorectal cancer (CRC) screening strategies, including the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-aided colonoscopy, by comparing incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) and various outcome measures such as loss of cancer-related life-years, prevention of CRC cases, life-years saved, and total cost per life-year saved. Data from international literature and the government gazette were accessed to calculate relevant cost and performance estimates.

Results:

The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of [FIT + colonoscopy], [FIT + AI colonoscopy]; colonoscopy; and AI colonoscopy was US$138,539, US$122,539, US$203,929, and US$180,444, respectively. When compared with [FIT + colonoscopy], use of [FIT + AI colonoscopy] could lead to significantly smaller total loss of cancer-related life-years (5,355 vs. 5,327); higher number and proportion of CRC cases prevented (120 vs. 132, 3.7% vs. 4.1%), more life-years saved (280 vs. 308), and lower total cost per life-year saved (US$944,008 vs. US$854,367). [FIT + AI colonoscopy] had the lowest ICER [US$122,539] and dominated across all other strategies (-US36,462 vs. FIT + colonoscopy). When colonoscopy is adopted as a primary screening test, AI colonoscopy dominated conventional colonoscopy (ICER -39,040).

Conclusions:

These findings show that Faecal immunochemical tests (FIT) followed by AI colonoscopy is the most cost-effective strategy in population-based CRC screening programmes.


 Citation

Please cite as:

Wong MC, Huang J, Lam TY, Lau LH, Chiu PW

The Cost-Effectiveness of AI-Assisted Colonoscopy as a Primary or Secondary Screening Test in a Population-Based Colorectal Cancer Screening Program: Markov Modeling–Based Cost Effectiveness Analysis

J Med Internet Res 2025;27:e67762

DOI: 10.2196/67762

PMID: 41002070

PMCID: 12514409

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