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Original research
Does obesity influence the preferred treatment approach for early-stage cervical cancer? A cost-effectiveness analysis
  1. Jacqueline A Bohn1,
  2. Miriam L Hernandez-Zepeda1,
  3. Alyssa R Hersh1,
  4. Elizabeth G Munro2,
  5. Jenna M Kahn3,
  6. Aaron B Caughey1 and
  7. Amanda Bruegl1
  1. 1Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Oregon Health & Sciences University, Portland, Oregon, USA
  2. 2Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
  3. 3Department of Radiation Oncology, Oregon Health & Sciences University, Portland, Oregon, USA
  1. Correspondence to Dr Jacqueline A Bohn, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Oregon Health & Sciences University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; bohnj{at}ohsu.edu

Abstract

Objective Abdominal radical hysterectomy in early-stage cervical cancer has higher rates of disease-free and overall survival compared with minimally invasive radical hysterectomy. Abdominal radical hysterectomy may be technically challenging at higher body mass index levels resulting in poorer surgical outcomes. This study sought to examine the influence of body mass index on outcomes and cost effectiveness between different treatments for early-stage cervical cancer.

Methods A Markov decision-analytic model was designed using TreeAge Pro software to compare the outcomes and costs of primary chemoradiation versus surgery in women with early-stage cervical cancer. The study used a theoretical cohort of 6000 women who were treated with abdominal radical hysterectomy, minimally invasive radical hysterectomy, or primary chemoradiation therapy. We compared the results for three body mass index groups: less than 30 kg/m2, 30–39.9 kg/m2, and 40 kg/m2 or higher. Model inputs were derived from the literature. Outcomes included complications, recurrence, death, costs, and quality-adjusted life years. An incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of less than $100 000 per quality-adjusted life year was used as our willingness-to-pay threshold. Sensitivity analyses were performed broadly to determine the robustness of the results.

Results Comparing abdominal radical hysterectomy with minimally invasive radical hysterectomy, abdominal radical hysterectomy was associated with 526 fewer recurrences and 382 fewer deaths compared with minimally invasive radical hysterectomy; however, abdominal radical hysterectomy resulted in more complications for each body mass index category. When the body mass index was 40 kg/m2 or higher, abdominal radical hysterectomy became the dominant strategy because it led to better outcomes with lower costs than minimally invasive radical hysterectomy. Comparing abdominal radical hysterectomy with primary chemoradiation therapy, recurrence rates were similar, with more deaths associated with surgery across each body mass index category. Chemoradiation therapy became cost effective when the body mass index was 40 kg/m2 or higher.

Conclusion When the body mass index is 40 kg/m2 or higher, abdominal radical hysterectomy is cost saving compared with minimally invasive radical hysterectomy and primary chemoradiation is cost effective compared with abdominal radical hysterectomy. Primary chemoradiation may be the optimal management strategy at higher body mass indexes.

  • cervical cancer
  • hysterectomy
  • radiotherapy

Data availability statement

All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as supplementary information. Not applicable.

https://doi.org/10.1136/ijgc-2021-003004

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    Data availability statement

    All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as supplementary information. Not applicable.

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors All authors have made substantial contributions to the model design, analysis, drafting and critical revision, and have given their approval of the manuscript. AB is the guarantor.

    • Funding A. Bruegl: Support for this research was provided in part by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Foundation. The remaining authors have no funding or conflicts of interest to disclose.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

    • Supplemental material This content has been supplied by the author(s). It has not been vetted by BMJ Publishing Group Limited (BMJ) and may not have been peer-reviewed. Any opinions or recommendations discussed are solely those of the author(s) and are not endorsed by BMJ. BMJ disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on the content. Where the content includes any translated material, BMJ does not warrant the accuracy and reliability of the translations (including but not limited to local regulations, clinical guidelines, terminology, drug names and drug dosages), and is not responsible for any error and/or omissions arising from translation and adaptation or otherwise.