The Public Health Commission has approved expanding the breast cancer screening program to include women between 45 and 74 years old. The change maintains the biennial frequency as a reference, which until now applied to the 50 to 69 age group, although implementation may start triennially in the new groups.
The decision corrects a discrepancy between current practice and available clinical data. Around 10% of breast cancers in Spain are diagnosed in women under 50 years old, while data from Galicia also points to a detection rate of 8.7% in women aged 70 to 74, above the 65 to 69 group.
Navarre detected 4.20% of cases in women aged 45 to 49
The modification is supported by the recommendations of the Network of Health Technology Assessment Agencies and the Council of the European Union, in addition to clinical evidence reviewed by health authorities.
Among the data that have supported the decision are those from Navarre, Castilla y León, La Rioja, and Castilla La Mancha, regions that already include women aged 45 to 49 in their programs. In Navarre, the average detection rate between 2022 and 2024 was 4.20%, comparable to the 50 to 54 age group.
The results from the older age group have also been influential. Galicia reported a detection rate of 8.7% in 2023 among women aged 70 to 74, a figure higher than that observed in the 65 to 69 age group.
Health Ministry anticipates up to six years to reach nearly 100% coverage
Implementation will not be immediate across the entire system. The agreement sets a maximum period of three years to initiate the program modification and allows up to six years to achieve near 100% invitation coverage in the new age groups.
During this transition, regions may first apply a triennial interval before consolidating the biennial frequency. The measure aims to facilitate organizational adaptation and the management of health resources.
The Ministry of Health maintains that the expansion incorporates new scientific evidence and diagnostic technologies aimed at improving equity, clinical efficacy, and early detection of breast cancer.
The estimated budgetary impact for the National Health System amounts to 534 million euros during the 2025-2029 period, although the Ministry of Health anticipates that the actual cost will be lower because several autonomous communities have already begun the expansion progressively.