Free cancer screening in Poland on NFZ: who qualifies in 2026
Short answer: NFZ offers free screening without a referral: mammography for women 45 to 74, an HPV test for 25 to 64, colonoscopy for 50 to 65, a new lung CT for 50 to 74, and a heart check.
Poland's National Health Fund (NFZ) runs several free screening programmes that do not need a referral. Some of them are open to anyone who meets an age or risk rule, and several are handled by your primary care clinic (POZ) or by a clinic that has a contract with NFZ. This guide summarises who qualifies for breast, cervical, colorectal and lung cancer screening and for the heart-disease check, using the NFZ page "Profilaktyka na NFZ" as read on 15 October 2026. Programme rules change, so the NFZ page is the final word.
How the programmes work
For each programme below, NFZ states that you do not need a referral to take part, except where noted. You report to a clinic that carries out the programme, or in the case of POZ-based programmes to your own primary care clinic. For the separate "Moje Zdrowie" checkup, which is open from age 20 with NFZ insurance, see our dedicated guide.
Breast cancer: mammography
The breast programme is for women aged 45 to 74 who meet one of these criteria:
- No mammography in the last two years (the age is counted by year of birth).
- Five years after surgical treatment of breast cancer, while still on complementary hormone therapy, with a recommendation to test every 12 months.
- Finished breast cancer treatment and the 5-year monitoring, with a recommendation to test every 12 months.
You can have the mammogram at a stationary clinic or in a mammobus that travels to remote places. You do not need a referral, you simply report to a clinic that does the examination. If the result is normal, you receive an invitation for another test in 2 years. If it is abnormal, the doctor sends you for further diagnostics.
Cervical cancer: HPV test
The cervical programme is for women aged 25 to 64 who qualify under the programme. The main test is an HPV HR test with genotyping, which looks for DNA or RNA of high-risk human papillomavirus in a swab from the cervix. It is done every 5 years. You can use it if at least 3 years have passed since your last cytology.
If the HPV HR result is positive, liquid-based cytology (LBC) is done from the same sample, so there is no second swab. Later testing then depends on the result: every 12 months, every 36 months or every 5 years. A negative result means the doctor recommends a repeat test after 3 or 5 years, or after 12 months in justified cases.
It is carried out by every obstetric and gynaecology clinic with an NFZ contract, and by selected POZ clinics under the midwife programme. You do not need a referral.
Colorectal cancer: colonoscopy
The colorectal programme is for people who have no symptoms suggesting colorectal cancer, have not had a colonoscopy in the last 10 years, and meet the age rule:
- 50 to 65 years old.
- 40 to 49 years old, if a first-degree relative was diagnosed with colorectal cancer.
The basic examination is a colonoscopy. It includes taking samples from suspicious lesions, removing polyps up to 15 mm, and laboratory examination of all samples and removed polyps. You do not need a referral and report to a clinic that carries out the test.
Lung cancer: new low-dose CT programme
NFZ marks the lung cancer screening programme as new, for people aged 50 to 74 who meet smoking and risk criteria. NFZ says the locations list applies from the second half of October 2026, so check the NFZ page for clinics before you try to book.
- Ages 55 to 74: you smoke or smoked and have at least 20 pack-years (for example one pack a day for 20 years), and no more than 15 years have passed since you quit.
- Ages 50 to 74: you have at least 20 pack-years, and either you still smoke or quit up to 15 years ago, and you have at least one extra risk factor, such as COPD, at least two years of workplace exposure to harmful substances such as silica, asbestos or diesel exhaust, radon exposure, an earlier cancer such as lymphoma or bladder cancer, or lung cancer in a close relative.
The test is a low-dose chest CT, using about 10 to 30% of the dose of a standard CT and no contrast. The programme includes a qualifying visit, the scan, and a visit to discuss results. If the result is normal, the next test is in 12 months. No referral is needed.
You cannot join if you had a chest CT in the last 12 months, have been diagnosed with lung cancer or another cancer involving the respiratory system within the last 5 years, have symptoms such as coughing blood, hoarseness, unintended weight loss or a cough lasting more than 8 weeks, or have a contraindication to low-dose CT.
Heart disease check (ChUK)
The cardiovascular programme is for people aged 35 to 65 who have filed a POZ declaration (chosen a primary care doctor), have no diagnosed diabetes, chronic kidney disease, familial hypercholesterolaemia or cardiovascular disease, and have not used the programme in the last 5 years. Your POZ doctor or nurse takes a history, measures blood pressure and BMI, and orders blood tests for total, LDL and HDL cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose. Then they assess your risk and give recommendations. No referral is needed.
Practical tips for expats
- NFZ insurance is the base for these programmes. Our guide to health insurance for foreigners explains how to get it.
- Sign a POZ declaration, because several programmes run through your own primary care clinic.
- Use the Internet Patient Account (IKP) or the mojeIKP app to see preventive options under the "Profilaktyka" tab.
- Ask the clinic in English or Polish for the programme name, for example "program profilaktyki raka piersi".
* Photos: Szpital Specjalistyczny Nr 2 in Bytom, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a referral for cancer screening in Poland?
Not for the breast, cervical, colorectal, lung and ChUK programmes described by NFZ. You report to a clinic that carries out the programme, or to your own POZ clinic.
Who can have a free mammogram?
Women aged 45 to 74 who had no mammography in the last two years, or who meet the post-treatment criteria on the NFZ page. Normal results lead to an invitation in 2 years.
How often is the cervical HPV test?
The HPV HR test is done every 5 years if the result is negative. You can have it if at least 3 years have passed since your last cytology.
Who qualifies for the free colonoscopy?
People aged 50 to 65 with no symptoms and no colonoscopy in the last 10 years, or ages 40 to 49 if a first-degree relative had colorectal cancer.
When does the lung screening start?
NFZ lists locations from the second half of October 2026, so check the NFZ page for current clinics.
