The Dutch National Breast Cancer Screening Programme is designed for women between 50 and 75 years of age. Once every 2 years, women in this age group are invited for a mammogram.

Cervical cancer is most common in women between the ages of 30 and 60.  Every year about 900 people in The Netherlands get cervical cancer, of which about 200 die. Thanks to the population screening, precancerous stages of cervical cancer can be detected early.

On May 25, 2011, the Dutch Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) decided to implement a national population screening programme for colorectal cancer (CRC screening) . This decision was based on a recommendation given by the Health Council of the Netherlands (GR) and on data from a feasibility study carried out by the Centre for Population Screening (CvB) at the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).