With nearly 61,000 new cases and 12,000 deaths estimated in 2023, breast cancer remains the leading cause of cancer mortality among women in France. The organized screening program aims to detect the disease early in women aged 50 to 74. But the latest figures show a persistent decline in membership and draw up a worrying observation.
A continuous drop in screening in 2024, despite the alerts
The national bulletin published on May 6, 2025 by Public Health France is unequivocal: The standardized rate of participation in the organized breast cancer screening program (PNDOCs) fell to 44.0 % in 2024against 48.6 % in 2023. This trend confirms an already started decline, with an average estimate of 46.3 % over the period 2023-2024, against 46.7 % the previous year.
The 70 %threshold, recommended by European bodies to hope to reduce mortality linked to this cancer, seems today out of reach. However, a major change occurred in 2024: The management of screening invitations has been transferred centrally to health insurancewhile regional centers (CRCDC) retain monitoring and collection of data. This new piloting was not enough to stop the decline.
“”Participation in this program is still downward ordered in 2024” – National Bulletin, Public Health France, May 6, 2025.
Worrying regional and generational disparities
Another striking fact: The drop in participation affects the entire territoryto very variable degrees depending on the region. The downward trend is also observed in all age groupswhich testifies to a generalized disaffection, regardless of the profile of targeted women.
Between 2022 and 2024, a significant drop-of the order of 3 to 5 points-was found in Île-de-France, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Center-Val de Loire and Reunion. A more moderate drop, from 1 to 2 points, is noted in Burgundy-Franche-Comté, Normandy and Pays de la Loire. In other territories such as Occitania, Hauts-de-France, Grand Est, Brittany, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes or Martinique, rates remain stable. Conversely, New Aquitaine and Corsica record a clear progression, with an increase between 4 and 5 points. On the other hand, the data available for Guyana and Guadeloupe are difficult to use.
Despite this diversity of regional dynamics, No region reaches the reference threshold of 70 % fixed at European level. This heterogeneity highlights the current ineffectiveness of the system to mobilize women in a fair manner throughout the territory.
Persistent brakes and worrying delay in France in Europe
In June 2023, Public Santé France was already sounding the alarm as to the low participation rate in the national program of organized screening for the most frequent cancer in women. Three months later, an OpinionWay survey conducted for the cancer league sheds precious light on the reasons for this disengagement. The absence of symptoms came at the top of the reasons mentioned, followed by the fear of being in pain, but also the fear of being diagnosed with breast cancer. Some women even believed that this screening was useless, or simply did not feel concerned by the program.
On a European scale, France accuses a notable delay. In 2017, according to Eurostat data, 82.1 % of Danes aged 50 to 69 had screened in the previous two years. This figure reached 81.9 % in Finland, 78.2 % in the Netherlands and 75.1 % in the United Kingdom. France, with a rate of 49.7 %, was then among the eight member states whose participation rates remained under 50 %, alongside Lithuania (48.3 %) and Latvia (44 %). A worrying positioning for a country whose program has been in place since 2004.