This year, there have been a total of 152,115 participations in the three national cancer screening programs. More than half of those invited have already attended the breast and bowel cancer screenings. The Estonian Health Insurance Fund reminds everyone in the target groups that they can still participate in free cancer screenings until the end of the year.
According to the latest data from the National Institute for Health Development, 58,506 women—or 51% of those invited—have participated in breast cancer screening during the first eight months of the year. Bowel cancer screening saw the participation of 60,437 people (52% of invitees), while 33,172 women (45% of invitees) participated in cervical cancer screening.
Oncologist Dr. Riina Kütner
"For several types of cancer, the problem lies in their insidious progression, as the disease only manifests itself once the tumor mass has become critically large. The purpose of screening is precisely to detect these changes before symptoms appear and the disease progresses further," emphasized Dr. Riina Kütner, an oncologist at the North Estonia Medical Centre, highlighting the importance of participating in screenings.
According to the oncologist, the greatest value of screening is the ability to detect the disease early: "The sooner an abnormality is found, the more treatment options we have, and the greater the likelihood that treatment will be successful and the patient will recover." In the case of breast cancer, early detection helps identify the disease sooner, whereas with cervical and bowel cancer, it is often possible to detect precancerous changes before the cancer even develops. “Screening helps save hundreds of lives every year. Therefore, if you receive an invitation to a screening, please take advantage of the opportunity,” Dr. Kütner urges everyone.
According to Kristin Kuusk, Head of Screening Services at the Estonian Health Insurance Fund (EHIF), autumn is also a good time to revisit health-related activities that may have been postponed amidst the busyness of daily life. “A screening invitation is valid for the entire calendar year, so it is certainly worth checking whether your birth year—or that of a loved one—falls within the target group for a screening this year and whether the test has already been performed. A disease detected early is easier to treat,” Kuusk emphasizes.
In 2026, over 225,000 people are invited to free screening tests
Check if you or a loved one are among those invited:
- Breast cancer screening: women born in 1952, 1954, 1956, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1974, or 1976.
- Cervical cancer screening: women born in 1961, 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, or 1996.
- Colorectal cancer screening: women and men born in 1958, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1968, or 1970.
Participation in screening tests is free for those in the target group, and health insurance is not required. For more information on participating, visit soeluuring.ee(Opens in new tab).
Please note!
You can view your screening invitation/referral by logging into the Health portal. You will also receive a notification via email. Check the state portal eesti.ee(Opens in new tab) to ensure your messages are forwarded to the email address you use daily, so you do not miss important notifications!