Women in France urged to get mammograms as part of ‘Pink October’ campaign

Women in France are being encouraged to get mammograms – and remind others to have them too – as part of the international ‘Pink October’ breast cancer awareness campaign. 

Known as ‘Octobre Rose’ in France, the month-long event aims to get more people tested for breast cancer (cancer du sein), which is the most common type of cancer for women in France, responsible for up to a third of all cancer cases. 

Warnings are being raised over low participation rates among women eligible for free mammograms. 

In some departments, less than 40% of women eligible for a free mammogram (aged between 50 and 74 and subscribed to France’s state health insurance) take advantage of the scheme.

Since the start of the ‘Octobre Rose’ campaign in 2004, the number of women taking a mammogram has remained relatively stable, not reaching above 65%.

This number includes tests prescribed by doctors following a medical appointment, separate from the organised screenings carried out with free mammogram vouchers. 

Taking into account organised screenings alone, the test percentage is around 50%.

In both cases this is far below the scheme’s 80% target. 

Concerns over tests

Mammograms are proven to be effective in early detection of breast cancer. 

Around 6% - 7% of free mammograms given to eligible women come back needing further investigation, and in just under half of these cases follow-up testing detects breast cancer early, before symptoms can be spotted. 

However, low uptake means the scheme is “potentially insufficient to achieve an impact on breast cancer mortality,” said radiologist Peter Petrow in a book published by the Fédération nationale des médecins radiologues. 

There are several purported reasons for the low uptake, said France’s national cancer institute (Institut national du cancer). 

These include:

• Concern over pain/discomfort during the exam

• Fear of taking the test and finding out it has come back with a positive reading for cancer

• Fear of a false positive

• Unnecessary treatment (the institute believes up to 20% of cases treated following cancer detection from a free mammogram may not have developed into full cancer)

• Radiation poisoning from the test 

On the latter point, the institute says that “the number of deaths avoided with screening is far greater than the risk of death from radiation-induced cancer.”

“The risk of death from radiation-induced cancer is around 1 to 10 per 100,000 women having had a mammogram every 2 years for 10 years… mammograms represent less than 2% of the total exposure of the population to ionizing radiation in France.” 

Free screening reorganisation created confusion

A reorganisation of how vouchers were handed out at the start of 2024 – the process is now managed by regional health authorities and the attached Caisse nationale de l'Assurance Maladie (Cnam) – has also caused issues. 

The new system saw a delay in vouchers being issued, leading some screening centres to temporarily cancel shifts due to a lack of patients, before then seeing an influx of delayed appointments.

Although these teething problems have largely been eradicated, the wait between a screening confirming cancer and the start of treatment is steadily increasing. 

This wait should be a maximum of six weeks, but has increased in France from an average of 9.3 weeks in 2019 to 11.5 weeks in 2025.

This is more than double the quality and safety indicators developed by [health authorities],” said Ligue nationale contre le cancer spokesperson Emmanuel Ricard, quoted to Le Figaro. 

Despite these concerns, and the prevalence of breast cancer, it has a high survival rate at around 80%. This increases to 97% for organised screenings through free mammograms. 

How to be screened 

Women between 50 and 74 should receive a free voucher for a mammogram every other year, provided they are signed up to Assurance Maladie. 

The voucher covers 100% of the cost of a screening. 

This can arrive either by post or through email, so ensure that your contact details are up to date (through the Ameli website). 

If you believe you should have received a voucher but have not, you can contact your local Caisse d’Assurance Maladie to obtain one.

If you do not use the voucher within six months, a reminder is sent out, and a second reminder is sent out six months later if the voucher is still yet to be used.

Outside of this, there are several alternative ways to get a screening, including for those under 50.

If you make an appointment with your GP regarding potential breast cancer symptoms or concerns, they can prescribe you a mammogram.

Alternatively, appointments with a gynaecologist – which are recommended annually – also include a check of your breasts. 

They may recommend you have a screening if they detect any concerns. 

Both these appointments and follow-up screenings will only be partially covered by social security, however you may be fully reimbursed depending on your top-up mutuelle insurance. 

Women aged 75 and above can receive a free screening following a consultation with their GP. 

In France, men do not undergo routine mammograms, since male breast cancer is rare (about 1% of cases). However, doctors may recommend breast imaging for men at high risk, for example, those with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation, a strong family history, or previous chest radiation.