Economic benefit of expanding mammography screening for breast cancer in Colombia: a cost modelling analysis

Breast cancer (BC) remains a leading cause of mortality, especially when diagnosed at advanced or metastatic stages. Early detection improves survival and reduces treatment costs. This study estimates the economic implications of expanding mammography screening coverage on breast cancer care in Colombia by modelling stage redistribution and associated direct medical treatment costs. This is a cost-benefit study to evaluate the impact of breast cancer screening strategies on the cost of care in Colombia. A 5-year Markov model estimated costs by cancer phenotype and clinical stage, utilising healthcare resource utilization data from a comprehensive Colombian cancer center. We compared current costs (31% mammography coverage) with projected costs, assuming a 70% screening rate (using the Netherlands' distribution as a reference). Data from 284 Colombian BC patients were included: Luminal (59%), HER2+ (26%), and Triple-Negative BC (15%). First-year costs varied widely, ranging from early-stage Luminal (USD 10,309) to metastatic HER2+ (USD 60,612). Advanced BC significantly drove healthcare costs. By increasing screening coverage to 70%, the number of early-stage cases detected each year would increase by 56% compared to the current 33%. Increasing screening could shift diagnoses earlier, reducing the average 5-year cost per patient from $68,183 to $58,542. This would translate to a USD 164 million saving for Colombia. Increasing screening coverage improves patient outcomes by detecting more early-stage cases and significantly reduces healthcare expenditures by decreasing costly advanced-stage diagnoses, yielding substantial savings for the Colombian health system.