Cost-effectiveness of screening for hepatocellular carcinoma: putting the cart before the horse

Cost-effectiveness of screening for hepatocellular carcinoma: putting the cart before the horse Letter (1560) Total Article Views Authors: Braillon A Published Date August 2012 Volume 2012:5 Pages 91 - 92 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/RMHP.S35389 Received: 27 June 2012 Accepted: 28 June 2012 Published: 09 August 2012 Alain Braillon GRES, Public Health, Amiens, France Ruggeri has recently reviewed the cost-effectiveness of screening for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).1 However, evidence for effectiveness is still lacking, with only two randomized trials available, both from China, one of which is negative and the other positive but with several major flaws.2 Only observational studies are available from developed countries, and conclude that screening improves survival, despite raw data showing that screened patients die younger than nonscreened patients, (length time and lead time biases).3 The National Cancer Institute recommends that “based on fair evidence, screening would not result in a decrease in mortality from HCC … based on fair evidence, screening would result in rare but serious side effects”.4 View original paper by Ruggeri. Post to: Cannotea Citeulike Del.icio.us Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Readers of this article also read: Does wine prevent dementia? Role of aliskiren in cardio-renal protection and use in hypertensives with multiple risk factors Child spacing and contraception among the poor in Zambia Subset-directed antiviral treatment of 142 herpesvirus patients with chronic fatigue syndrome Health literacy and health seeking behavior among older men in a middle-income nation Nephroprotection of lacidipine against gentamycin-induced nephrotoxicity in albino rats Enhanced effect and mechanism of water-in-oil microemulsion as an oral delivery system of hydroxysafflor yellow A Hepatocellular carcinoma: cost-effectiveness of screening. A systematic review Vitamin D deficiency: A potential risk factor for Clostridium difficile infection Targeting nanomaterials: future drugs for cancer chemotherapy