September 2, 2023

“When we look at the evolution of cancer, we observe that there is a regular increase in the number of new cases”, explains Dr. Defossez. “When we reason in number of cases, we realize that this increase must be moderated by demographic changes”. Between 1990 and 2023, the French population has greatly increased. In addition, there is a phenomenon of general aging of the population.

Reasoning in terms of rates makes it possible to obtain a comparable situation of the risk of cancer in time and space. However, despite this “standardization”, which makes it possible to obtain comparable results, a marked increase in the number of cancers has been observed.

The risk factors are variable and must be understood on a case-by-case basis. In the case of lung cancer, the main risk factor is tobacco. “Tobacco is a major risk factor which explains this contrasting result between men and women”. The increase in cancer cases, according to a “standardized world rate”, is in fact 0.3% in men and 0.9% in women, who are experiencing an increase of almost 5% in cancer cases. lung per year. “We have a very clear increase today in the incidence of cancers in women, which tend to catch up with the already very high rates of lung cancer that have been observed in men for fifty years now” , adds Dr. Defossez.

However, other risk factors may be involved in the development of lung cancer, such as air pollution in particular. The risk factors frequently incriminated are tobacco for 17 different locations, overweight and obesity for 14 locations, alcohol for 8 locations, and finally an unbalanced diet for two locations. Diagnostic practices may also play a role. Thyroid cancer has long been affected by the issue of “overdiagnosis”. “The use of increasingly precise imaging means has led to the detection of small, indolent tumors that for the most part do not progress to aggressive cancers”, specifies Dr. Defossez.

Breast cancer remains the most common cancer in women. However, the evolution of its incidence rate is still increasing. It is important to know that the locations of these types of cancers are strongly impacted by the age of the patient. Even if breast cancers such as triple negative cancer can occur in patients only in their twenties or thirties, organized screening for breast cancer is carried out systematically from the age of fifty. The implementation of these campaigns has made it possible to detect a certain number of cancers, highlighting a vulnerability linked to age. These screening campaigns have also made it possible to detect a certain number of cancers as early as possible, in particular that of the prostate in men.

Apart from these screening campaigns, any suspicious growth that does not disappear must be the subject of a consultation with your general practitioner, your gynecologist or urologist.