Breast Cancer Screening in Cyprus: Free Mammograms, GESY Referrals and Where to Go (2026)

If you are a woman aged 45 to 74 living in Cyprus, you can have a free screening mammogram, usually every two years, through the Ministry of Health's breast screening programme. It works by invitation letter, runs outside GESY and uses public mammography centres in every district. If you have symptoms, GESY covers a diagnostic mammogram or ultrasound when a specialist refers you. Here is how each route works, where to go and what to do if you find a lump.

This guide is general health information, not medical advice. Talk to your personal doctor about what is right for you, especially if you have symptoms or a family history of breast or ovarian cancer.

Who can get a free mammogram in Cyprus?

The National Population Screening Programme for Breast Cancer has been run by the Ministry of Health since 2003. It is designed for women with no symptoms and an average risk.

• Age range: 45 to 74. Until 2022 the programme covered women aged 50 to 69; the range was widened in 2022–23 to follow current EU recommendations.
• Cost: free. The programme is a public health service paid for by the Ministry, separate from GESY, so no GESY co-payment applies.
• How often: usually every two years. European guidance quoted by Europa Donna Cyprus suggests every two to three years for women in their late forties and every three years from 70 to 74, so the interval in your letter may vary with age.
• Results: normally within about 30 days. Most results are clear. If something needs a closer look, you are called back for further imaging, such as tomosynthesis or ultrasound, and sometimes a needle biopsy.

In September 2025 the Ministry said its screening centres had been renovated and fitted with new digital mammography machines with tomosynthesis (3D imaging from several low-dose angles), and that the process is now fully digital. The Ministry has also mentioned extended opening hours to suit working women.

We could not find an official statement on how residents who are not Cypriot citizens get onto the invitation list. If you are in the age range and have never had a letter, ask your GESY personal doctor or contact the Ministry through its programme page. Check that your address is up to date with public services so letters reach you.

How does a screening invitation work?

Step by step

1. Wait for your letter. The Ministry of Health invites eligible women by post. The letter names the mammography centre for your area and explains how to arrange your appointment.
2. Book the appointment in the way the letter tells you. At the Paphos centre, for example, women were asked to phone and book their own slot when it opened in 2023.
3. Prepare for the day. Bring your ID card or residence document and the letter. Avoid deodorant, talc or body lotion on your chest and underarms that morning, as they can show up on the images. Wear a top you can remove easily.
4. Have the mammogram. A radiographer positions each breast between two plates for a few seconds. It can be uncomfortable but is quick.
5. Get your result by post or phone. If you are recalled, go: a recall usually means the images need checking, not that you have cancer.

Where are the breast screening centres in Cyprus?

The Ministry says the programme runs in every city in Cyprus. It does not publish one up-to-date list that we could check, so this table shows the locations reported in Ministry announcements and news coverage. Your invitation letter is the definitive source for your centre.

Is a mammogram covered by GESY?

Yes, but only as a diagnostic test, not for routine screening. A March 2021 announcement from the Health Insurance Organisation, which runs GESY, sets out the rules:

• GESY covers mammography and tomosynthesis for women of any age when there is a medical reason, such as a symptom or a relevant medical history.
• The referral must come from a specialist: a surgeon, gynaecologist, oncologist, internist, plastic surgeon, nuclear medicine doctor or geriatrician. The specialist fills in a short questionnaire explaining why the test is needed.
• A mammogram for screening without any medical indication is not reimbursed by GESY. That is what the Ministry programme is for.

In practice, the usual path is: your personal doctor examines you and refers you to a specialist, and the specialist refers you for imaging. Women aged 15 and over can also see a GESY gynaecologist directly, without the usual €25 charge for seeing a specialist without a referral.

What it costs under GESY (2026)

Breast ultrasound is often added to a mammogram, especially for younger women or dense breasts, and follows the same referral route. Always confirm current amounts on the GESY portal before you book.

Can I pay for a private mammogram in Cyprus?

Yes. Many women in Cyprus have mammograms privately with a radiologist of their choice. The Ministry of Health has pointed out that these private checks are not counted in the national figures. Prices are set by each clinic, so ask when you book.

For a wider list of private hospitals and clinics by city, see our guide to private hospitals and clinics in Cyprus. If you are not covered by GESY, check whether your private health insurance pays for mammograms, and whether it needs a doctor's referral first.

Why does breast screening uptake in Cyprus matter?

Eurostat figures for 2023 show that only 29.8% of women aged 50 to 69 in Cyprus had a mammogram through the national programme, the second-lowest rate in the EU, where the average was 65%. The Ministry says the true rate is higher because private mammograms are not recorded. Even so, many women who are eligible for free screening do not take it up.

Breast cancer is common in Cyprus. Figures displayed at Europa Donna Cyprus's awareness march in October 2026 represented 840 new cases among women and six among men in 2025. Finding cancer early generally means simpler treatment and better outcomes, which is why the free invitation is worth accepting.

What should I do if I find a lump?

Screening is for women without symptoms. If you notice a change, do not wait for an invitation.

1. Book an appointment with your personal doctor, or go straight to a GESY gynaecologist. Changes to look out for include a new lump or thickening, a change in size or shape, puckering or dimpling of the skin, a nipple that turns inwards, discharge or a rash on the nipple, or a lump in the armpit.
2. Get examined. The doctor may refer you to a breast surgeon or another specialist, who can order a diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound under GESY.
3. Go to the follow-up tests you are referred for, which may include a needle biopsy.
4. Ask for support if you need it (see below).

Most breast lumps turn out not to be cancer, but every new one should be checked.

Do I need BRCA testing if breast cancer runs in my family?

Women with a strong family history, or a known BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation, need closer monitoring than the population programme offers. European guidance can mean yearly MRI and mammography, starting earlier. Genetic testing is not recommended for everyone: it is aimed at people who meet specific risk criteria.

• The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics in Nicosia has a Clinical Genetics and Genomics Department offering genetic counselling. Its diagnostic services include testing for inherited risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
• The Bank of Cyprus Oncology Centre runs a Cancer Genetics Clinic.

Ask your personal doctor or specialist about a referral, and whether GESY covers your test.

Where can I find support in English?

• Europa Donna Cyprus has worked with patients for almost 25 years. It offers counselling and psychological support, physiotherapy, dietary advice, grants and social support, and its website is available in English. It also organises the annual March with the Pink Figures in Nicosia each October.
• The Bank of Cyprus Oncology Centre has a Patients' Rights Officer who accepts complaints in Greek or English.
• Many doctors in Cyprus trained abroad and speak English, but if language is a worry, ask when you book whether the clinician can consult in English.

What to do next

• Check that you are registered with a personal doctor in our guide to GESY in Cyprus.
• Compare private options in private hospitals and clinics in Cyprus.
• If you are not in GESY, read about health insurance for a Cyprus residence permit.
• Book this year's jab with our flu vaccine guide for 2026.