The League Against Cancer sounds the alarm. A survey conducted by OpinionWay and published this Tuesday highlights “the constant decline over the last 10 years in participation in breast cancer detection campaigns.”
According to this study, in 2022, only 44.9% of women aged 50 to 74 were screened for this cancer. “A result that places France at the bottom of the European ranking, very far from countries like Denmark or Finland, whose participation rates exceed 80%,” laments the League Against Cancer in a statement.
In total, 1.3 million women in this age group have never participated in breast cancer screening, or 12% of them.
Cured in 90% of cases if detected in time
How to explain such figures? The main obstacle to screening mentioned by these women is the absence of symptoms. An argument refuted by the League against cancer: “Screening is aimed precisely at people who do not complain about anything, to detect an incipient disease before the signs appear,” explains Emmanuel Ricard, spokesperson for the League, in statements collected by France Bleu.
“The goal of screening is to arrive before symptoms appear,” he adds.
One in five women who refuse to undergo testing points out the fear of suffering pain when 16% of them say they are afraid of being diagnosed with cancer. “However, when detected early, breast cancer is cured in 90% of cases,” explains Daniel Nizri, president of the League Against Cancer.
Social inequalities
One in ten women mentions the fear of undressing in front of the doctor, “a figure that is increasing,” says the League Against Cancer, which suggests “educational work to anticipate this fear.”
“The rise of religion and the question of modesty associated with everything that has circulated about the attitude of certain professionals regarding the notion of consent” have not played in favor of screening, laments the Spot Emanuel Ricard.
Another major issue: the distance between screening centers and patients’ homes, highlighted by the 10% of those not getting tested. Many of them also mention that wait times are too long or say they don’t know where to go for testing near them.
“Breast cancer is the main cause of cancer death in women and social inequalities are one of the first markers of health inequalities with respect to this important problem,” says Daniel Nizri.
A growing incidence
This study is published a few days before the launch of the national Pink October awareness campaign, which will begin at the beginning of next month. With almost 62,000 new cases each year, the incidence of breast cancer is increasing.
“Its mortality has tended to decrease in recent years, in particular because 60% of breast cancers are detected at an earlier stage,” writes La Ligue contre le cancer.
A mammogram should be repeated every two years between the ages of 50 and 74 and it is also recommended from the age of 25 to have a palpation by a doctor, gynecologist or midwife every year.
If it is not enough and does not replace a medical visit, breast self-examination can also be the first step in screening for this cancer. It can allow quick consultation and thus help in early management of the disease.
OpinionWay survey for the League Against Cancer: sample of 1,006 women, representative of the French female population aged 18 years and over, surveyed using a self-administered online questionnaire. Interviews were conducted from August 8 to 11, 2023.
Source: BFM TV
