- Introduce yourself in a few words.
I am a PH in the obstetric gynecology department of the Rouen University Hospital, newly arrived since September 2021.
I hold a DESC in oncological surgery obtained at Aix-Marseille University in 2012. I worked in public assistance in Marseille hospitals for 8 years before joining the team at Rouen University Hospital. I will participate in the care of patients with breast cancer and gynecological cancers, and strengthen the team already made up of Dr Morgane Perrin and Clothilde Hennetier.
- What is breast cancer? Who does it affect?
Breast cancer remains the number one in women in terms of frequency (58,000 new cases per year in France in 2018), as well as the leading cause of death from cancer (12,000 per year). It can therefore affect all women, and it is estimated that one in 9 women will be affected during her lifetime. However, the survival of patients with cancer has improved over time, thanks to two main factors: the detection of the disease at an early stage thanks to screening by mammography and the progress of available therapies.
- What is the importance of making women aware of the right actions and regular screening? From what age is it recommended to get tested? What are the risk factors?
An organized screening program is offered to all women. In practice, an invitation to perform mammography screening is sent every 2 years between the ages of 50 and 74. This examination will be re-read by 2 different radiologists in order to improve the detection rate.
We must insist on the importance of responding to this invitation to organized screening. Thus, the number of cancers detected during screening organized in France is estimated at only 50%. However, we know that this system is the most effective for detecting the disease at an early stage on a population scale. It is important to remember that regular gynecological monitoring is recommended for all adult women and that it includes a clinical breast examination.
The recommended age for screening for the general population is 50 to 74 years, every 2 years. Depending on the risk related to the family history, earlier screening may be offered, after advice from an onco-geneticist.
The main risk factors are: age, genetic predisposition, a personal history of breast pathology, a personal history of chest irradiation.
- The confinement periods have caused a drop in screenings. What consequences can this have?
The consequences of the COVID pandemic on screening are still difficult to measure. However, access to radiology facilities was disrupted for many months, especially in 2019. A 30% drop in first consultation rates for breast cancer has thus been postponed between 2019 and 2020 in certain large centers in the Paris region. . It is important to get this message across: thanks to vaccination, the health system in our region is currently ready to fulfill all its missions of screening and taking charge of this cancer, and we must encourage women who have had to postpone their follow-up during the COVID period to reconnect with their gynecologist.
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