Overview

Population-based screening is an organised, systematic and integrated process of testing for signs of cancer or pre-cancerous conditions in populations without obvious symptoms. Programs target specific populations and/or age groups where evidence shows screening to be most effective.

More reports and statistics on cancer screening can be found under Cancer.

Latest findings

Of those assessed in 2017 after a positive screen, 1 in 29 were diagnosed with a confirmed or suspected cancer Since the program began in August 2006, about 5.5 million NBCSP screening tests have been completed Screen-detected bowel cancers less likely to cause death than bowel cancers diagnosed in people never invited to screen Participation in cervical screening was higher in HPV-vaccinated women than in unvaccinated women Screen-detected breast cancers less likely to cause death than breast cancers diagnosed in never-screened women Screen-detected cervical cancers less likely to cause death than cervical cancers diagnosed in never-screened women Of the 4.1 million people invited between January 2016 and December 2017, 41% participated The re-participation rate in 2016–2017 for people who had taken part in an earlier invitation round was 78%

Featured reports

See all reports

Cancer screening Participation

Latest rates, trends & data visualisations.

Explore the data

Highlights

Screen-detected bowel cancers less likely to cause death than bowel cancers diagnosed outside the program
54–56%of women aged 20–69 (about 3 million women) participated in cervical screening between January 2016 and June 2017
Screen-detected cervical cancers less likely to cause death than cervical cancers diagnosed in never-screened women
Participation in cervical screening was higher in HPV-vaccinated women than in unvaccinated women
Screen-detected breast cancers less likely to cause death than breast cancers diagnosed in never-screened women
140women aged 20–69 died from cervical cancer in 2017
Screen-detected bowel cancers were more likely to be diagnosed at an earlier cancer stage