Europe Breast Cancer Screening Tests Market Size

Europe Breast Cancer Screening Tests Market Analysis

The Europe Breast Cancer Screening Tests Market size is estimated at USD 0.83 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 1.26 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 8.68% during the forecast period (2024-2029).

COVID-19 impacted the breast cancer screening tests market in the initial phases owing to the cancellations of elective procedures, including diagnostic imaging tests. For instance, an article published in the British Journal of Cancer in February 2022 stated that population breast screening services in England were suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, an article published in the British Journal of Cancer in November 2022 reported that all breast cancer screening centers in England paused routine screening invitations during the initial months of COVID-19. As per the same source, a reduction of 23% was observed in breast cancer diagnosis in 2021 and 2% higher in 2021-22 in England as compared to the year before the pandemic. However, the market started recovering since the restrictions were lifted and diagnostic imaging tests resumed. The market is expected to register a stable growth rate during the forecast period owing to the rising government initiatives to boost breast cancer screening in the European region.

The studied market is expected to grow during the forecast period owing to the growing incidence of breast cancer, government initiatives for early detection of breast cancer, and increasing clinical trial developments and technological advancements in tests.

The high burden of breast cancer in Europe is expected to boost the demand for breast cancer screening tests during the forecast period. For instance, according to the European Breast Cancer Coalition 2022 report, 1 in 11 women in the European Union develop breast cancer before the age of 74. Also, according to 2021 statistics published by Breast Cancer Now, it has been observed that about 55,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the United Kingdom every year. The same source reported that 46,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer in England every year, followed by 4,700 in Scotland, 2,800 in Wales, and 1,500 in Northern Ireland. Thus, the high burden of breast cancer in the European region is expected to accelerate the demand for breast cancer screening tests, thereby propelling the market growth during the forecast period.

Furthermore, the rising clinical trials for the development and evaluation of screening tests are also contributing to the market growth. For instance, according to clinicaltrials.gov, a clinical trial sponsored by the University Medical Center, Utrecht, Netherlands, is expected to be completed by April 2023. The objective of this study is to determine the cost-effectiveness of biennial screening with mammography and MRI compared to mammography alone in women aged 50-75 years who show more than 75% mammographic density. The rising clinical trials are expected to create an opportunity for market players to develop advanced screening tests, which are further expected to boost the market growth.

The rising research studies by government and private organizations to develop technologically advanced screening tests are expected to expand the market growth. For instance, in May 2022, the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC) coordinated QUSTom (Quantitative Ultrasound Stochastic Tomography), a new European project that aimed to launch a new medical imaging modality based on ultrasound and supercomputing, which will replace current techniques that use X-rays such as mammograms. This technology is found to be safer for patients as it does not use any type of radiation. It will also offer superior image quality and better monitoring of tumors, among other advantages. Such projects intend to revolutionize breast cancer detection using ultrasound imaging and thereby augment the market growth during the forecast period.

Additionally, in January 2021, Hologic Inc. launched 3D ultrasound imaging on the SuperSonic MACH 30 and 20 ultrasound systems in Europe. This innovation gives clinicians access to high-resolution B-mode and ShearWave PLUS elastography 3D volumes, providing additional insights and enhancing diagnostic certainty for breast cancer. The launches by market players are expected to augment the demand for imaging tests in the region during the forecast period.

Therefore, owing to the aforementioned factors, such as the high burden of breast cancer, rising clinical trial developments, and increasing product launches, the studied market is anticipated to witness growth over the analysis period. However, the high cost of breast cancer screening tests, side effects of radiation during screening tests, and errors in screening are likely to impede the market growth.