France has twice as many cancers as in 1990

The first cause of death for men in France, the second for women. despite undeniable therapeutic advances, cancer remains a major public health problem. And even more so, as the number of cases continues to rise, we notice Weekly Epidemiological Bulletin French public health (SPF) published on Tuesday. Based on data from cancer registries from 1985 to 2018, the study provides the most recent snapshot of cancer distribution, incidence and possible causes, with the previous one dating back to 2019.

The first lesson from this work, carried out in collaboration between the SPF, the French Network of Cancer Registries (Francim), the National Cancer Institute (InCA) and the Hospices Civils de Lyon; the annual number of new cancer cases per 100,000 population (incidence) doubled between 1990 and 2023, by 98% in men and 104% in women. Growth is largely due to population growth (which accounts for 30% of total growth) and aging (48% among men, 27% among women). The rest is due to the increased risk associated especially with behaviors (tobacco, alcohol, unbalanced diet, physical inactivity, etc.) and with the evolution of diagnostic practices (cancer can be avoided when cells are detected in the precancerous stage. and removed). It should be noted that the figures for the years 2019-2023 are based on statistical forecasts, the last data used in the study ends in 2018.

Men and women, different evolutions

Based on this, public health experts estimate the number of new cancers diagnosed in 2023 to be 433,136, with more than half (57%) in men. Among the latter, prostate cancer remains the most common (59,885 cases or 24% of all cancers) ahead of lung (14%) and colorectal cancer (11%). Women mostly suffer from breast cancer (61,214 cases or 33%), followed by colorectal cancer (11%) and lung (10%).

But the evolution of lifestyles can upset this hierarchy. Women smoke more and more, men less and less. The difference between the two, which was once very large, is decreasing. now it is only 4 points. Because cancer takes time to appear after exposure, the effects are likely to be felt later. But already, we can see that the overall incidence of cancer in the male population has decreased since 2010 (-0.3% per year), while it is increasing in women (+0.4%). For the lungs, tumors are mostly caused by smoking cigarettes, the difference in dynamics is obvious. +4.3% per year for women and -0.5% for men. At this rate, “Lung cancer incidence in women can be compared to men”warns D^r: Florence Molinier, President of Francim. For the same reason, lip-mouth-shell or esophagus cancer is also increasing in the female population.

The number of new cancer hospitalizations observed in 2020 is 5% lower than expected outside the health crisis.

Public Health France

Other cancers associated with risk factors are increasing, such as melanoma caused by UV exposure (+2% per year since 2010). On the other hand, improvements are seen in stomach, ovarian or cervical cancer. Faced with the decline in colorectal cancer among men, experts put forward several hypotheses. Smoking and alcohol consumption, two risk factors, tend to decrease, albeit slowly. Organized national screening (every two years from the age of 50), which enables the detection of preinvasive tumors, also contributes; “disappear” some, emphasizes P^r: INCa president Norbert Ifrah, however, is sorry “The very moderate support of the French.” in the village.

Unknown impact of covid

A big question mark remains about the impact of the Covid pandemic and the accompanying crisis in access to care, as the data used in the study ends in 2018. “Presented in 1990-2023 trends correspond to evolution “In the long run» cancers that reflect the expected evolution (except for the epidemic) due to the evolution of risk factors and demographics in France;explain the authors of the BEH study. The extent of these disturbances is not yet known, but a study analyzing hospitalizations for new cancers gives us a first indication.This study shows that in 2020, the number of hospitalizations due to new cancer observed is 5 less.% of the expected number without a health crisis. For 2021, this hospitalization deficit is 1% compared to expected”. Experts, however, assume that later “In the years disrupted by the pandemic (2020, 2021 and 2022), incidence will return to its expected level outside the pandemic in 2023.”