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Research Article Volume 16 Issue 6
Cost-effectiveness of lung cancer screening in Saudi Arabia
Albertus Constantijn Sloof, Majid Abdulrahman Almadi, Mashael Alrujaib, Alexander Van Schoonhoven, Prof Khaled Alkattan
Gastroenterology Division, Department of Medicine, King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia
Division of Gastroenterology, The McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, McGill University, Canada
Alfaisal University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Asc Academics BV, Netherlands
Department of Health Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, Netherlands
Received: December 16, 2025 | Published: December 22, 2025
Citation: Almadi MA, Alrujaib M, Sloof AC, et al. Cost-effectiveness of lung cancer screening in Saudi Arabia. J Cancer Prev Curr Res. 2025;16(6):143‒150. DOI: 10.15406/jcpcr.2025.16.00594
Abstract
Objectives: Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer worldwide, with most cases being identified in a late stage where curative treatment is no longer an option. Tobacco use is the primary cause of lung cancer. Screening smokers has been shown to be a cost-effective intervention in multiple countries. This article aims to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of lung cancer screening in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Methods: A cost-effectiveness model consisting of a decision tree, determining the number of cases and the stage at diagnosis, along with a Markov model that projects the lifetime disease pathway. The model was developed to compare scenarios with and without lung cancer screening. The number of cases was determined using the overdiagnosis rate from the NELSON trial and current incidence rates, adjusted for differences between the trial and Saudi clinical practice. Six scenarios were analyzed, varying by age ranges and geotargeting, and assessed across multiple thresholds.
Results: In each
scenario, screening results in additional cases identified, (quality-adjusted)
life-years gained, and higher costs. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios
ranged from $31,222 when screening people aged 60–74 in the Eastern region to
$110,042 when screening people aged 50–74 nationwide.
Conclusion: Depending
on the willingness-to-pay threshold, lung cancer screening could be
cost-effective nationwide for individuals aged 55–74, or only in the Eastern
region for those aged 60–74, or in neither scenario. Implementing a pilot
program in Saudi Arabia would provide additional information to determine the
cost-effectiveness of implementing lung cancer screening.
Keywords: lung cancer, screening, LDCT, cost-effectiveness, Saudi Arabia
©2025 Almadi, et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially.