In France, more than 1,000 people learn every day that they have cancer. According to a survey* with a representative sample of 5,161 people, cancer is the pathology that arouses the most concern in France, in front of Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease, Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis. The survey was carried out at the request of the collective against the cancer (s) created in 2014 by Unicancer, network patients and MSD France.
Almost three in four French people (74 %) say they are concerned about the risk of being faced one day and there are even more numerous (77 %) to fear that a close to it. Some cancers are particularly feared: this is the case of the brain (for 34 %of the population), lung (31 %), pancreas (32 %), breast (20 %) and blood (20 %).
In addition, cancer remains a taboo subject: one in two French people believe that it is difficult to approach it in society. And information on the disease remains insufficient, a third of patients and their loved ones feel poorly informed about care paths, local health supply or clinical trials.
Screening brakes remain important
Almost 90 % of French people recognize the usefulness of cancer screening exams for early diagnosis, to identify people at risk and to prevent disease or increase the chances of healing. The vast majority of the population (71 %) also believes that access to cancer screening is satisfactory in their region. However, only 56 % of those questioned say they have already passed a screening exam.
In the majority of cases, this approach is motivated by an external incentive: 6 out of 10 French people are tested after receiving a letter from health insurance and half on the recommendation of a healthcare professional. Among those who are not tested, 49 % do not know if they are eligible, 46 % deplore a lack of medical advice, 37 % believe they are in good health and 27 % think they are too young to feel concerned.
“In a guide dedicated to public decision -makers and players in the field, the collective facing the cancer (s) formulates proposals to encourage screening, early diagnosis and access to innovation. We recommend in particular the automatic implementation of personalized prevention meetings. It is a time of exchange between a patient and a trained health professional, knowing the screening and risk factors for cancer. We also want to further diversify prevention actors: school nurses, pharmacists, occupational physicians … ”, Explains Laure Guéroult-Accolas, founder and director of network patients.
Facilitate access to genetic tests
Anyway, the French keep confidence in innovation against cancer. Nearly 6 out of 10 French people believe that research is growing rapidly and 80 % consider that France offers rapid access to new treatments. Some 72 % believe that more cancers are healed than 20 years ago.
Today, innovation also involves AI and genomics, which improves the identification of subpopulations which must benefit from screening and certain cancer treatments. But there remains an obstacle to raise: “We must facilitate access to genetic tests to target patients that can access innovative treatments”, Esides Professor Pascal Pujol, head of oncogenetics at the Montpellier University Hospital. “Let us take the example of the BRCA gene: there is a family of drugs comprising several molecules, prescribed and reimbursed. But to find out if targeted therapy is suitable for a patient, prior genetic tests are essential. However, these money are still not taken care of by social security. This creates an inequity of access, because there is a remains for health establishments ”, he deplores.
* Online survey of the Institute Toluna-Harris Interactive for the collective against the cancer (s), carried out from February 7 to 18, 2025
