‘It is not enough to save lives’ - less than half of women in France screen for breast cancer

Less than one in two women in France invited for breast cancer screening took part last year.

This is the sad reality that Dominique Rousseau Lebourg, founder and president of the Comité Prévention et Dépistage des Cancers shared with The Connexion. 

As October Rose approaches, attention is once again turning to breast cancer prevention and screening in France. However, Ms Rousseau Lebourg said that while France has a good breast-cancer screening programme, not enough women are using it. 

“Last year, the national average was 47.5%,” she said. “That means there isn't even one woman in two who has a screening mammogram.”

The figure is well below the 70% participation rate the association considers necessary to reduce deaths from breast cancer.

“We have an excellent, quality programme, which is offered to all women, whatever their region, whatever their social background,” she said. “But they don't use it.”

Why don't women go?

“Fear that they will find something,” Ms Rousseau Lebourg said. “I don't want to go because I'm afraid they will find something, so I don't go.”

Others simply do not think they need screening. “I've got other things to think about. I'm never ill. No one in my family is ill.”

Then, there is another issue: getting an appointment. “Over the last two or three years, women have been telling us this,” she said. “They have their invitation, they call to get an appointment, and they are told ‘not for three months, not for six months’, or even not for a year in some regions.”

“That obviously discourages women.”

The issue is partly due to the lack of radiologists, she explained, as doctors retire and are not being replaced quickly enough. 

Early detection saves lives

The organised screening programme offers women an important advantage. Their mammograms are read by the radiologist carrying out the examination and then given a second reading by an expert radiologist as part of the screening programme.

“So these women who don't go are missing an opportunity,” Ms Rousseau Lebourg said.

“Last year, there were around 12,500 deaths from breast cancer,” she said. “That's one woman every hour who dies from breast cancer in France.

“We know very well that detecting cancer early means it can be treated better.

“And it saves lives. Because that is the goal. To save lives.”

Technology is improving

France has nevertheless made progress in how cancers are detected.

Mammography equipment has improved, making examinations less uncomfortable, while artificial intelligence is now being used to help radiologists analyse mammograms.

“It does not replace the doctor,” Ms Rousseau Lebourg said. “But it provides considerable help.”

She said AI can help identify very small tumours that might otherwise be missed.

There are also new developments in screening for other cancers. A pilot programme called Impulsion is being introduced for lung-cancer screening among 20,000 smokers aged 50 to 74.

“Until now, there was nothing to screen for lung cancer,” Ms Rousseau Lebourg said.

‘We cannot take people by the hand’

“People are informed. They know,” she said. “We give them information. We talk about it.”

The Challenge du Ruban Rose, which she has helped organise for more than 20 years, continues to attract growing numbers of participants, including at its annual event in Bordeaux.

But information does not always translate into action. “We cannot take each person by the hand and take them to get screened,” she said.

In Nouvelle-Aquitaine, participation has risen above 50% at some events, but Ms Rousseau Lebourg said even that is not enough.

“It is not enough to save lives.”

Do you get screened for breast cancer in France? If not, why not? Send us your opinion at feedback@connexionfrance.com