JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) screening with eradication reduces gastric cancer incidence and mortality.

Objective:

This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of incorporating H. pylori screening into Korea's National Gastric Cancer Screening Program.

Methods:

A Markov model was developed to compare two strategies: (1) endoscopy screening every two years starting at age 40 (conventional screening), and (2) H. pylori testing and eradication therapy at age 40, followed by continuous endoscopy screening. The primary outcome is the Incremental Cost-Utility Ratio (ICUR), calculated by dividing incremental cost by incremental quality-adjusted life year (QALY) between the two strategies. Sensitivity analysis identified the most influential variables for cost-effectiveness.

Results:

The primary outcome parameter is the cost-effectiveness of adding H.pylori testing to the current NCSP, which will be expressed as ICUR. Costs and utility will be discounted at an annual ra: This study determined that introducing H. pylori testing and eradication therapy into the National Gastric Cancer Screening Program is a more cost-effective strategy for reducing gastric cancer risk than a conventional endoscopy-based cancer screening program. te of 4.5%. ICUR threshold will be set at KRW 50 million, which is South Korea’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita.

Conclusions:

This study determined that introducing H. pylori testing and eradication therapy into the National Gastric Cancer Screening Program is a more cost-effective strategy for reducing gastric cancer risk than a conventional endoscopy-based cancer screening program. Clinical Trial: None