Participation in the three population screening programmes for cancer offered by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) has met with varying interest. Participation in breast cancer screening decreased again last year. A (slight) increase was observed in the screening programmes for colorectal cancer and cervical cancer.
Breast cancer
The population screening programme for breast cancer achieved an uptake of just over 65%. This marks a continuation of the downward trend observed in the past few years. Notably, people who received an invitation for the first time were relatively less likely to use it. In total, 874,391 people did have a mammogram. Breast cancer was discovered in 6,303 participants.
Colorectal cancer
More than 1.5 million people between the ages of 55 and 75 years were screened for colorectal cancer. The number of participants increased from 66.5% in 2023 to 67.1% in 2024. The younger men in this age group were underrepresented; their participation dropped from 58% to 56%. 4.5% of all the results from the stool test provided a reason for follow-up diagnostic testing. Polyps or colorectal cancer were found in 18,139 individuals.
Cervical cancer
Increased participation in cervical cancer screening in 2024 (nearly 5% higher than in 2023) was due in part to the use of the self-test. In the group of people in their 30s who were sent the self-test, 85% of the participants used it. General practitioners (GPs) are doing fewer smear tests because many people are using the self-test. Cervical cancer or precancerous abnormalities were found in 2,984 individuals after a direct referral. In total, 385,768 people took part in the screening programme: 54.4% as of the reference date of 15 months. This percentage is expected to increase in the next few years. Participation based on the 2020 invitation year continued to increase, rising to 66.3%, although it was only at 49.3% after 15 months.
Data hack
The population screening programme for cervical cancer made the news this year in relation to a data hack at one of the laboratories involved in the testing process. It is not yet clear how this could affect participation.
Overall
In 2024, more than 2.75 million people took part in the three population screening programmes for cancer. Nearly 27,500 cases of cancer or precancerous abnormalities were detected through the screening tests.