July 24, 2019
According to an Inca report from 2018, 40% of cancers diagnosed in France remain preventable. Cancers that could be prevented by a change in behavior.
Lack of prevention
The National Cancer Institute (Inca) published its annual report on July 23. The Inca has seen no decrease in the number of preventable cancers compared to last year. In 2018, 400,000 new cases of cancer were recorded. In addition, 150,000 cancer-related deaths have been recorded.
According to the Inca, it would be possible to avoid 160,000 new cases of cancer each year by mobilizing more. For the Institute, it is necessary to strengthen prevention on the dangers of tobacco consumption, which is the first risk factor for cancer. In 2018, 31,231 new cases of lung cancer were diagnosed in men and 15,132 in women.
Other important risk factors
Apart from tobacco, other factors can increase the risk of cancer. Alcohol is a proven carcinogen and remains the second preventable cause of cancer death after tobacco in France. However, the alcohol consumption of the French is not decreasing. The Inca recommends increased prevention with the establishment of consumption benchmarks.
The Institute also points to the still insufficient vaccine coverage against cervical cancer. All cervical cancers are caused by HPV infections. However, only 21.4% of 16-year-old girls are vaccinated. Between 25 and 65 years old, the Inca recommends a three-year smear after two normal smears. It should be remembered that each year, 35,000 precancerous lesions and 3,000 cancers are diagnosed in France.
Stephanie Haerts
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