Abstract
Purpose: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections account for 4.5% of all cancers globally – 8.5% in females and 0.8% in males. Rates of HPV-related cancers in New Zealand exceed other high-income countries. New Zealand has 3 parallel strategies to address HPV-related cancers: (1) treatment of HPV-related cancers; (2) national cervical screening programme including coloposcopy-directed treatments; and (3) national HPV vaccination programme. This study quantifies the economic burden of HPV-related cancers in New Zealand.
Methods: Oropharyngeal, cervical, vaginal, vulvar, anus/anal canal and penile cancers between July 1st 2017 and June 30th 2022 were identified from the New Zealand Cancer Registry. Patients with assumed HPV-attributable cancers were calculated using Centre for Disease Control and Prevention data. Cost of treatment of HPV-attributable cancers per year was calculated using national data collections capturing details on outpatient, inpatient and pharmaceutical events.
Results: 2961 cases of HPV-associated cancers were identified over the 5-year period, with a cumulative treatment cost of $105.3 million. The estimated cost of additional cervical pre-cancer detection and treatment through colposcopy-directed treatments was $49 million.
Conclusion: The conservative estimated cost of HPV-associated cancers in New Zealand over a 5-year period was $154.3 million. HPV-infections are a modifiable risk factor for cancer and a public health issue. New Zealand has a rising incidence of HPV-associated cancers, but a declining immunization rate. There is an urgent need to increase the HPV-vaccination rate to 90%, in line with other high-income countries, to reduce the economic burden of HPV-related cancers.