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Clin Colon Rectal Surg
DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1809892
Review Article

No Time for That: Health Care Economics and Population Health Limitations of Anal Cancer Screening

Andrew C. Esposito
1   Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
,
Andres Doval Rojas
1   Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
,
Ira L. Leeds
1   Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
› Author Affiliations
Funding This publication was made possible by CTSA Grant Number KL2 TR001862 from the National Center for Advancing Translational Science (NCATS), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of NIH.
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Abstract

High-resolution anoscopy has become an integral component of recommended anal cancer screening in broad populations. While high-resolution anoscopy has been shown to decrease the rate of anal cancer in high-risk populations with known high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions, it may have low utility as a broader population screening tool. Its applicability and implementation are limited by the current number of trained providers, high monetary costs, and high opportunity costs to patients and providers. Efforts to enhance its attractiveness should focus on decreasing the ratio of the number of procedures per available provider, better illustrating costs, and clear and precise national guidelines.

Keywords

high-resolution anoscopy - anal cancer - health care economics - screening - risk adjustment


Publication History

Article published online:
02 July 2025

© 2025. Thieme. All rights reserved.

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