Not enough women participate in breast cancer screening in France, confirms a new survey by the League Against Cancer as Pink October approaches. However it is free. So what’s blocking?
From 50 years oldTHE women are more exposed for breast cancer and can be screened for free in France. Yet, 55% did not participate in the national breast cancer screening campaign organized in 2022 in France, reveals an OpinionWay survey commissioned by the League Against Cancer on the occasion ofPink October 2023. Even more alarming, 12% of respondents, i.e. 1 million women, admitted never have participated to this screening. For 10 years, the proportion of women who are screened for breast cancer has continued to decline. An “alarming” observation for the League.
45% of women get tested in France compared to 80% in Denmark and Finland
France is at the bottom of the European ranking, very far from countries like Denmark or Finland, whose screening participation rates exceed the 80% (45% in France). Among the main obstacles mentioned by the French women interviewed:
- the absence of symptoms for a third of respondents (even though the first symptoms of breast cancer can be difficult to spot)
- there afraid of being in pain (20%)
- there fear of cancer diagnosis (16% prefer this way “remain in ignorance”)
- the idea that screening is useless (11%)
- there afraid of getting naked in front of a doctor (10%)
- screening centers too far from their homes (10%)
- they do not feel concerned (8%)
- they don’t know where to get tested (7%)
- THE lack of time (6%)
Entirely free, breast cancer screening is open to all women aged 50 to 74. It includes a mammogram to be done every 2 years. A simple and effective way to detect possible breast cancer as early as possible because if taken in time, breast cancer can be cured in 90% of cases.
To encourage screening, the League Against Cancer has decided to launch a campaign on October 1, 2023 (at the same time as Pink October) with a strong and positive message for all women: “Huge, tiny, shapely: your breasts are perfect, as long as they’re healthy“, as well as numerous mobilization actions throughout France. “THE Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women and inequalities (social, territorial and access to information) are one of the first markers of health inequalities with regard to this major issue. We must reach out to women who are far from the informationprevention and care pathways, in particular by facilitating information and access to screening“, explains Daniel Nizri, President of the League Against Cancer in a press release. According to figures from Public health Francebreast cancer affects nearly 62,000 people per year in France metropolitan, and approximately 12,000 people die.
* survey conducted on a sample of 1,006 women aged 18 and over, representative of the French female population.