Eligible but Unaware: The Gap in Breast Cancer Screening Awareness

Last year, several provinces and territories announced they were lowering the minimum age for breast cancer screening (mammograms). In honour of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Leger Healthcare and the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) partnered to gauge general practitioners’ (GP) and the public’s awareness of the minimum breast cancer screening age in Canada specific to their province or territory.

Leger Healthcare conducted an online survey from October 10 to 15, 2025, with a sample of 1,537 Canadians aged 18 and older drawn from Leger’s LEO panel, and a sample of 100 GPs drawn from Leger’s LEO Medical panel. The results reveal a significant gap between eligibility, awareness, and real-world access to early breast cancer screening.

Every province and territory in Canada—except Quebec—has lowered the minimum mammogram eligibility age as part of routine breast cancer screening to 40 or 45 years old. In most jurisdictions, however, women under the age of 50 do not receive a proactive invitation to participate in their province or territory’s program; they need to self-refer or get a referral from their GP, making awareness of breast cancer screening programs essential. Our research found:

• • Only 1 in 3 women between the ages of 40 and 49 were “very aware” of the existence of breast cancer screening programs in their province.
  • 36% of all women surveyed correctly identified the minimum age for breast cancer screening in their province as of 2025.
  • 65% of GPs surveyed correctly identified the minimum age according to their province’s mammogram guidelines.

These knowledge gaps directly affect participation rates and can delay early detection, even in provinces and territories that lowered the screening age years ago.

Awareness alone does not guarantee access. Our survey found persistent differences in how women engage with mammography services across Canada:

• • Among women 40–49 years old, 52% report ever having had a mammogram, compared to 89% of women over 50 years old in Canada.
  • Among women 40–49 years old who had a mammogram, 13% in Quebec did so as part of routine screening versus 64% in the rest of Canada.
  • Only 19% of GPs in Quebec, versus 64% of GPs in the rest of Canada, frequently recommended breast cancer screening for women 40–49 years old.

The data show that women aged 40–49 in Quebec are as likely to get a mammogram than other Canadians, but they are much more likely to do so after a concern is detected, such as the discovery of a lump, rather than as part of early, organized screening.  That means missed opportunities for early diagnosis.

Both the public and GPs overwhelmingly agree that governments need to do more to increase breast cancer screening participation rates:

• • 92% of all GPs nationwide.  
  • 94% of women 40-49 years old.
  • 84% all men and women.

This reflects broad support for clearer messaging about screening eligibility, self-referral options, and provincial mammogram pathway.

To turn policy progress into improved early detection rates, Leger Healthcare and the CCS recommend:

• • Making breast screening eligibility consistent across all provinces.
  • Simplifying and standardizing self-referral mammogram pathways, especially for those without family doctors.
  • Boosting public and physician awareness through targeted communication.
  • Co-developing culturally sensitive outreach for underserved populations.

As Breast Cancer Awareness Month reminded Canadians this year, lowering the mammogram age to 40 or 45 is only the first step. Real impact will come from ensuring Canadians understand when they are eligible, how to access screening, and why early detection saves lives.

This web survey was conducted from October 10 to 15, 2025, with 1,537 Canadians aged 18 or older, randomly recruited from LEO’s online panel. A margin of error cannot be associated with a non-probability sample in a panel survey. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of this size yields a margin of error no greater than ±2.50% (19 times out of 20). With a sample of this size, the results can be considered accurate within this range. The margin of error varies for subgroups of the population (including GPs): smaller sample sizes produce wider confidence intervals.

Leger Healthcare is the dedicated health division of Leger—the largest Canadian-owned market research and analytics firm. With offices across Canada and the U.S., our senior researchers bring therapeutic expertise and hands-on knowledge of every stage of the research cycle. Backed by two of the country’s largest proprietary healthcare panels—LEO (500,000+ patients) and LEO Medical (35,000 healthcare professionals)—we design, execute, and analyze end-to-end studies that capture real-world perspectives from both patients and clinicians. The result is actionable insights that help organizations make smarter decisions, accelerate innovation, and improve outcomes. Learn more!

The Canadian Cancer Society works tirelessly to save and improve lives. We raise funds to fuel the brightest minds in cancer research. We provide a compassionate support system for all those affected by cancer, across Canada and for all types of cancer. Together with patients, supporters, donors and volunteers, we work to create a healthier future for everyone. Because to take on cancer, it takes all of us. It takes a society.