After breast cancer has been diagnosed, what happens next as regards taking part in mammography screening?

If it is found after the mammography screening that you have breast cancer, you are entitled – following your therapy/treatment – to receive so-called follow-up care from a gynaecologist. Current guidelines recommend a duration of 10 years for such care.

As part of this follow-up care, annual mammography tests are generally carried out on the breast affected, as well as on the other breast. These tests are done after a referral from your doctor outside the mammography screening programme. 

As the data in the programme are protected, no information on the illness goes to the Invitation Office – so you will receive your next invitation automatically. If you go to annual mammographies outside the screening as part of your follow-up care, you can ignore the appointment or contact your Invitation Office to cancel it.

Any follow-up care should definitely be agreed with your GP or gynaecologist. In principle, it is not impossible for you to go to the next screening programme after two years (after breast cancer has been diagnosed) and have another mammography test.