Breast cancer screening

Yes. The examination is intended to detect breast cancer at an early stage. When you have no complaints yet and the cancer cannot yet be seen or felt. There is a bigger chance that treatment will be successful. It can be important for everyone to participate. You decide for yourself whether you want to participate in the screening.

Please do not wait for an invitation for the breast cancer screening. It is important that you contact your GP immediately to have your breasts examined.

The mammography can be uncomfortable or painful. For each X-ray, they compress your breast between two plates for a few seconds. This is necessary to produce a clear image, with as little radiation as possible. This compression process may be painful, but it's not harmful.

Does a specialist still examine you regularly? And are X-rays of your breasts taken at least once a year? Then you do not have to participate in the screening. Are you not regularly examined by a specialist? Then you might be able to participate in the screening. If you are not sure about this, please contact your GP or Saba Cares. 

Women under the age of 50 often have a lot of glandular and connective tissue in their breasts. This tissue is more sensitive to radiation. Also, X-rays of the breasts are often less easy to assess because of this tissue.

Women over 75 are more likely to discover breast cancer that would not have affected a woman during her lifetime. In addition, the risk of other diseases is greater in women over 75 years of age.

Your breast is compressed between two plates during X-rays. According to plastic surgeons, the risk of damaging the protheses as a result of the compression is very small. According to plastic surgeons, breast implants are no reason not to participate in the screening. Tell the screening employee that you have a breast prosthesis. You decide whether or not you want to participate in the screening. Sometimes, we cannot assess the x-rays of women with breast prostheses. This is the case when insufficient breast tissue is visible and it depends on the location and size of the breast prosthesis. If you have participated in the population screening and your X-rays cannot be assessed well enough, this will be stated in your result letter. These women are advised to contact their GP if they have any complaints about their breasts.

Every year, approximately 1 million women in European Netherlands participate in the breast cancer screening program. Radiation can cause cancer, but this risk is very small. On the other hand, the breast cancer screening program prevents 850-1100 deaths per year. 

Agreements have been made with Saba Cares and the hospital in Sint Maarten about follow-up care. If an abnormality is found, your GP will explain to you what to expect. Your GP will then refer you to the hospital, which you can visit within a week. Depending on the result, the hospital will discuss the further treatment plan with you.

Persons registered as female in the Municipal Personal Records Database (PIVA-V) are invited to the cancer screenings. Transgender and intersex persons not identified as female on their ID but who do have breast tissue can register with Saba Cares. They are then automatically invited to these screenings. 

Saba Cares will contact the women between 50-75 by phone. They will invite all participants for an intake appointment at Saba Cares.  During the intake, the screenings coordinator will go through the process including the logistics.   

RIVM arranged charter flights, participants will travel in groups of 6 with a charter flight to St. Maarten. RIVM will organize 1-2 flights a month, there will be space for 6 people on each flight. Each participant will receive an information leaflet with a breast cancer screening process flow.