Key finding - Estimated prevalence of cancer in mainland France among people aged 15 and older

In 2008, nearly 3 million people aged 15 and older in mainland France were living with cancer or had recovered from it (prevalence), according to a study estimating cancer prevalence in mainland France, published by the Francim cancer registry network, the biostatistics department of the Hospices Civils de Lyon (HCL), the French Institute for Public Health Surveillance (InVS), and the National Cancer Institute (INCa).

These data complement those recently published on incidence and mortality, as well as on the survival of people with cancer. These three studies are based on data from metropolitan, specialized, and general cancer registries within the Francim network. They describe the main and most recent epidemiological characteristics of cancer in France while providing essential information for public policymakers.

This study estimates, for 24 cancer sites—accounting for nearly 92% of cancers in terms of incidence—the total and partial prevalence, defined as follows:

• Total prevalence estimates the number of people with or who have had cancer and are alive on a given date, regardless of when the diagnosis was made, thus including people who are cured or in complete remission without cancer treatment and those still requiring care;

• Partial prevalence estimates the number of people with or who have had a cancer diagnosis and are alive on a given date, whose diagnosis was made within a limited time period (during the previous year, or within the last 3, 5, or 10 years). The objective of partial prevalence is therefore to more accurately estimate the number of patients who may potentially require care.

It should be noted that certain fairly common cancers, such as lung cancer (the second most common cancer in men and the third most common in women in terms of incidence), are underrepresented due to low survival rates.