Poland faces high breast cancer mortality due to late diagnosis

Poland faces a significant public health challenge regarding cancer mortality. Despite having one of the lowest rates of new breast cancer diagnoses in the European Union, the country has the highest mortality rate from the disease in the EU. This discrepancy is attributed to late diagnoses, as only one in three eligible women utilizes the National Health Fund-funded mammography program.

Projections suggest the situation may worsen; if current trends continue, annual breast cancer diagnoses could rise to 26,700 and deaths to 11,000 by 2040. Experts note that regular screening for women aged 50-69 can reduce mortality by 25-30 percent.

To combat low participation in screening programs—including those for cervical and colorectal cancer—the Ministry of Health is implementing new communication strategies. These include personalized SMS messages and notifications via the Internet Patient Account to encourage healthy individuals to undergo preventative testing. Currently, hundreds of thousands of appointment slots remain available for mammography and HPV testing.