You will receive a letter with the results within ten working days. If abnormalities were detected in the X-ray pictures, your GP may get in touch with you.

The 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. The aim is to detect breast cancer at an early stage, when the prospects for successful treatment are greatest.

This poster shows how population screening for breast cancer is organized in the Netherlands and the role played by various public and private organizations. It also provides facts and figures and describes the advantages and disadvantages and success factors of population screening in the Netherlands.

Invitation to participate in the breast cancer screening programme.

If you do not wish to take part, please deregister. Then somebody else can take your place.

This leaflet provides information on the tests that can take place at the hospital to establish the nature of the abnormality. You will have received your results letter from the breast cancer screening programme. The radiologists have found an abnormality on your X-rays but they do not yet know precisely what it is. Whether it is a benign or a malignant condition can only be determined after further tests at the hospital. About two out of three women referred for further investigation are found to have a benign abnormality. We have already informed your GP of the results. If you have not been in touch with him or her yet, we would advise you to make an appointment.

Breast cancer is a common disease. Approximately 1 in 8 women in the Netherlands will get breast cancer during their lifetime. Most of these women are over 50 years old. We are therefore inviting all women over 50 to take part in the screening programme. They will be invited to undergo a free examination once every two years until they turn 76.