According to the new recommendation, women aged 46–49 would be invited for screening every two years, while those aged 70–74 would be screened every three years. Currently, screenings are offered to women aged 50–68 in even-numbered birth years.
The advisory group suggests implementing the expansion gradually between 2026 and 2032.
“The controlled expansion of breast cancer screening age groups has been shown to be both effective and cost-efficient, helping to reduce breast cancer mortality at a reasonable cost,” says Tytti Sarkeala, Director of Screening at the Finnish Cancer Registry.
Each year, approximately 350,000 women are invited for breast cancer screening in Finland, with 82% participating. The screenings detect nearly 2,000 cases of breast cancer annually.
According to cancer registry statistics, between 2018 and 2022, around 5,000 breast cancer cases were diagnosed each year. Among these, nearly 300 cases were found in women aged 45–49, and about 650 in those aged 70–74.
Background: a new European Council recommendation
In December 2022, the European Council updated its cancer screening recommendations, advising EU member states to extend breast cancer screening to women aged 45–74. Finland has long been a leader in implementing cancer screening programs.
“As research advances, it is essential to update screening programs to ensure Finland remains at the forefront of cancer prevention,” emphasizes Annika Auranen, Chair of the national cancer screening advisory group and Chief Medical Officer at FICAN Mid.
The advisory group’s recommendation, along with the brest cancer screening expert group’s supporting statement, has been submitted to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (STM). The implementation of the recommendation will require political decisions. The government program emphasizes the importance of preventive measures in improving public health and adopting effective methods in healthcare.
The annual cost of the breast cancer screening program is approximately 15 million euros. Expanding the program as recommended would increase annual costs by around six million euros.
For more information:
Annika Auranen, Central Finland Cancer Center, annika.auranen@pirha.fi, Tel. +358 50 470 4454
Tytti Sarkeala, Finnish Cancer Registry, tytti.sarkeala@cancer.fi, Tel. +358 50 411 4238
