Cost-utility and clinical impact of endoscopic screening for esophageal and gastric neoplasia in patients with head and neck neoplasms.

Abstract

Objective: Patients with head and neck neoplasms (HNN) are at an increased risk of esophageal neoplasia (EN) and gastric neoplasia (GN). We aimed to assess the clinical impact and cost-utility of endoscopic screening in this population in the Western setting.

Methods: In this single-center study HNN patients eligible for curative treatment underwent screening esophagogastroduodenoscopy. We assessed the frequency, clinical, and pathological outcomes of EN and GN. The cost-effectiveness of an annual endoscopic screening for EN was evaluated from a societal perspective, using a Markov model and probabilistic sensitivity analysis. In addition, we performed a sensitivity analysis using data on the prevalence of detected EN lesions in the four largest previous Western studies on this topic.

Results: Forty-six HNN patients met the inclusion criteria and underwent endoscopic screening. Six EN were detected in five patients (10.9%, 95% confidence interval: 1.9-19.9%). Additionally, five GN were detected in five patients. Most patients had early-stage EN or GN (90%) and were treated with endoscopic resection (80%). Endoscopic screening strategy had an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of 39 357.8 €/quality-adjusted life years gained, being cost-effective at a willingness-to-pay threshold of two times the Portuguese gross domestic product per capita. In the sensitivity analysis, it remained cost-effective when considering the prevalence of EN reported in Germany, France, and Brazil.

Conclusion: An endoscopic screening program identified EN or GN in a fifth of HNN patients, most presenting at an early stage. The program implementation appears to be cost-effective in Portugal. These results may be applicable to other medium-to-high-income Western countries.