Although participation in the breast cancer screening program increased in 2023, too few women still have the recommended mammogram.
- The national organized breast cancer screening program invites women aged 50 to 74 to have a screening mammogram every 2 years, supplemented by a clinical breast examination.
- In 2023, standardized participation is estimated at 48.2%, compared to 44.8% in 2022.
- The highest standardized regional participation rates are observed in Burgundy-Franche-Comté, Normandy and Brittany (54%).
France is marked by nearly 60,000 new cases of breast cancer and 12,000 deaths linked to the disease each year. Which makes it the most common and deadliest cancer among women. To combat malignant breast tumors, health authorities invite women aged 50 to 74 to have a screening mammogram every two years.
THE latest annual report from Public Health France on the program shows that still too few women take part in these examinations which make it possible to detect breast cancer at an early stage.
Breast cancer: less than half of women are screened
Approximately 2,620,500 women underwent a breast cancer screening mammogram in 2023, representing a national standardized participation rate of 48.2% as well as an increase compared to the previous year (44.8% in 2022) . However, these figures remain too low for Public Health France.
“An increase in participation is therefore observed in 2023, but participation over the period of the two rolling years 2022-2023 remains lower than that of 2021-2022.”
For the agency, these fairly low rates can be explained in part by “the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic”.
According to the annual report, it is in Burgundy-Franche-Comté, Normandy and Brittany that women most easily enter radiology practices. 54% responded to invitations. The lowest participations are observed in Guyana (15.7%), Corsica (30.4%) and in PACA (36.2%). “While the 2022-2023 rate is stable or decreasing compared to the previous period in most regions of mainland France, an increase is observed in Hauts-de-France which reaches a participation of 48.5%“specifies the report.
Mammography: 6 out of 10 breast cancers are diagnosed at an early stage
“At the same time, the cancer detection rate among women who are screened is steadily increasing”specifies Public Health France. “This trend is consistent with the observed increase in breast cancer incidence in the general population.”
Although the upward trend is recorded in all regions, divergences remain present. Thus, the highest detection rate is in Hauts-de-France, and the lowest in the DROMs. “These differences in levels are consistent with the incidence rates observed in these regions”specify the experts.
The health authorities point out that the screening offered free of charge makes it possible to detect breast tumors at early stages and thus to “limit treatments and thus increase the chances of remission”. Six out of 10 breast cancers are diagnosed at an early stage.
