Cost-effectiveness of liquid-based cytology with or without hybrid-capture II HPV test compared with conventional Pap smears: A study by the French Society of Clinical Cytology

Abstract

Many articles concerning conventional Pap smears, ThinPrep® liquid-based cytology (LBC) ami Hybrid-Capture II HPV test (HC II) have been published. This study, carried out by the French Society of Clinical Cytology, may be conspicuous for several reasons: it was financially independent: it compared the efficiency of the conventional Pap smear and LBC. of the conventional Pap smear and HC II. and included an economic study based on real costs: for all the women, a "gold standard" reference method, colposcopy. was available and biopsies were performed whenever a lesion was detected: The conventional Pap smear, the LBC (split-sample technique), the colposcopy. and the biopsies were done at the same time. This study included 2.585 women shared into two groups: a group A of a high-risk population, a group B of a screening population. The statistical analysis of the results showed that conventional Pap smears consistently had superior or equivalent sensitivity and specificity than LBC for the lesions at threshold CIN-I (Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia) or CIN-II or higher, it underlined the low specificity of the HC II. Finally, the LBC mean cost was never covered by the Social Security tariff. © 2005 Wiiey-Liss. Inc.