Fewer women examined for breast cancer due to staff shortages

The RIVM reported a decline in invitations for breast cancer screenings due to staff shortages, resulting in fewer participants. In 2025, nearly 820,000 women were invited, marking a 7% decrease from the previous year. This decline may lead to later tumor detection and increased mortality. Participation rates are lowest among women under 55 and those over 70. Additionally, cervical cancer screening participation also dropped, partly due to a data breach at Clinical Diagnostics, which caused unrest among women and led to a temporary halving of initial invitations to manage backlogs.