Summary of input variables used for the base model analysis
| Variable description | Source | |||||
| Sample size | 1000 | – | ||||
| Discount factor for costs and outcomes | 3% (95% CI 2% to 6%) | WHO guidelines17 | ||||
| Age-specific probabilities | ||||||
| Age band | Incidence of breast cancer | All-cause mortality | ||||
| 40–44 | 0.001220 | 0.00168 | CI5 Vol X* National Institute of Statistics and Census (INDEC), Argentina10 11 | |||
| 45–49 | 0.002019 | 0.00266 | ||||
| 50–54 | 0.002271 | 0.00412 | ||||
| 55–59 | 0.003085 | 0.00629 | ||||
| 60–64 | 0.003142 | 0.00930 | ||||
| 65–69 | 0.003135 | 0.01410 | ||||
| 70–74 | 0.003223 | 0.02228 | ||||
| 75–79 | 0.002971 | 0.03812 | ||||
| 80–84 | 0.003095 | 0.07289 | ||||
| 85+ | 0.003204 | 0.23 153 | ||||
| Stage distribution of breast cancer | ||||||
| Population | Mammography | Telemammography | ||||
| Stage I | 0.244 | 0.132 | 0.428 | MoH official figures (Argentina) Published ‘Dr. Jose Ramon Vidal’ Hospital Data (Corrientes, Argentina)12 | ||
| Stage II | 0.449 | 0.283 | 0.326 | |||
| Stage III | 0.231 | 0.299 | 0.167 | |||
| Stage IV | 0.043 | 0.278 | 0.080 | |||
| Disease progression-transition probabilities | ||||||
| Stage I | Stage II | Stage III | Stage IV | Cancer death | ||
| Stage I | 0.4 | 0.29 | 0.09 | 0.13 | 0.09 | Mexican Social Security Institute (case study)30 |
| Stage II | – | 0.55 | 0.22 | 0.18 | 0.05 | |
| Stage III | – | – | 0.22 | 0.7 | 0.09 | |
| Stage IV | – | – | – | 0.14 | 0.86 | |
| Characteristics of the tests | ||||||
| Mammography | Telemammography (TM) | |||||
| Specificity | 0.865 (95% CI 0.83 to 0.90) | MoH official figures (Argentina)6 Private (TM centre) | ||||
| Sensitivity | 0.78 (95% CI 0.75 to 0.90) | |||||
| Uptake | 0.39 (95% CI 0.32 to 0.46) | 0.5 (95% CI 0.43 to 0.57) | ||||
| Utility scores | ||||||
| Point estimate | 95% CI | |||||
| Stage I | 0.91 | 0.314 to 1.00 | Pataky et al16 | |||
| Stage II | 0.75 | 0.320 to 0.983 | ||||
| Stage III | 0.51 | 0.272 to 0.745 | ||||
| Stage IV | 0.45 | 0.203 to 0.557 | ||||
| COSTS | ||||
| Variable description | Cost in ARS | Year | Cost in GBP | Source |
| Direct screening costs | ||||
| Direct medical costs | ||||
| Mammography (public sector) | $2279 | 2020 | £ 24.23 | Official figures (Argentina)19 |
| Medical consults (specialist) | $470 | 2020 | £ 5 | |
| Mammography (private sector) | $6721 | 2020 | £ 71.47 | Private data |
| Telemammography | $810 | 2020 | £ 8.72 | |
| Mammography—average | $4500 | 2020 | £ 47.85 | Calculation |
| Set-up costs (telemammography) | ||||
| Online campaigns | 2019 | £ 10 073.08 | Private data | |
| Offline campaigns | 2019 | £ 9 258.21 | ||
| Opening a new clinic | 2019 | £ 73 500.00 | ||
| Number of tests per clinic (year) | 2019 | 6000 | ||
| Additional screening cost/test | 2019 | £ 16.58 | Calculation | |
| Leasing model (8-year contract) | 2020 | £ 2 250 | Private data | |
| Additional screening cost/test | 2020 | £ 0.38 | Calculation | |
| Direct non-medical costs | ||||
| Distance to mammography centre | 2020 | 200 km | Private data | |
| Distance to telemammography centre | 2020 | 50 km | ||
| Price for transport/km | 2019 | £ 0.17 | Official figures (Argentina)20 21 | |
| Average daily cost of informal care (caretaker) | 2019 | £ 11.31 | ||
| Total non-medical costs of mammography | 2020 | £ 39.39 | Calculation | |
| Total non-medical costs of telemammography | 2020 | £ 10.83 | Calculation | |
| Direct treatment costs | ||||
| Stage I | 2018 | £ 21 482.39 | Average treatment costs: Brazil, Colombia and Mexico30 | |
| Stage II | 2018 | £ 32 683.87 | ||
| Stage III | 2018 | £ 38 406.00 | ||
| Stage IV | 2018 | £ 44 508.32 | ||
*Cancer Incidence in Five Continents (CI5) Vol X report by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
ARS, Argentine peso; GBP, British pound sterling; MoH, Ministry of Health.