Breastfeeding Promotion to Prevent Breast Cancer: an Economic Evaluation

Abstract Objectives Our study aimed to estimate the healthcare cost-savings resulting from a reduction in breast cancer attributed to an increase in the breastfeeding rate in Hong Kong. Methods This is an economic evaluation. We simulated a cohort of 33500 Hong Kong women aged 20 years in 2018 using the Monte Carlo Model, to estimate with probabilistic sensitivity analysis the healthcare cost-savings, the number of deaths averted and the increase in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) due to prevention of breast cancer attributed to a higher breastfeeding rate, assuming a discount rate of 3%. Results Increasing the proportion of parous women breastfeeding exclusively for 6 months from 22% (current rate) to 90% averted 266 (95% CI259, 273) or ~10% of all-stage breast cancer cases, 18 deaths (95% CI 17, 19) and 399 DALYs (95% CI 381, 416), over the lifetime of each annual cohort of women in Hong Kong. The lifetime medical costs that could be saved would be ~USD3 million. However cost-saving was 5-time less if the cumulative any breastfeeding (i.e. partially or exclusively) for 12 months in parous women is increased to 90%. Conclusions Promoting and protecting breastfeeding leads to cost-savings for treating breast cancer in Hong Kong. Our analysis can inform healthcare budget resources that could be allocated to promote exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months.