Maintaining professional activity during breast cancer treatment.

The question of returning to work and pursuing professional activity during cancer treatment is an increasingly important consideration. The present work focuses on factors affecting the feasibility of maintaining professional activity during treatment for breast cancer, for women who wished to do so. Written questionnaires were collected from 216 patients between March and November 2012.

Lung cancer risks, beliefs and healthcare access among the underprivileged.

One of the current goals of the French national cancer plan is to reduce healthcare inequalities. This study investigated the potential links between vulnerable social status, exposure to lung cancer risk factors and access to healthcare to highlight ways to improve lung cancer control in this population. The nationwide observational study EDIFICE 3 was carried out through phone interviews of a representative sample of 1603 individuals (age 40-75 years).

Social stratification, risk factor prevalence and cancer screening attendance.

This analysis aimed to assess the extent to which exposure to cancer risk factors and attendance of screening programmes are influenced by social characteristics. The validated Evaluation of deprivation and health inequalities in public health centres (EPICES) index was used to measure social deprivation. A sample of the general population (N=1603) was assessed to search for potential correlations between screening attendance, risk factors and any components of the EPICES score.

Breast cancer screening controversy: too much or not enough?

The Cochrane analysis exploring the risk/benefit ratio of breast cancer screening resulted in a controversy worldwide spread by the mass media. Our survey sought to assess the impact of this controversy in terms of breast cancer screening awareness and attendance. A nationwide observational study, recorded in the EDIFICE iterative surveys, with a representative sample of 451 women aged 40-75 years, living in France, was carried out in the 3 months after the start of the controversy in January 2013.

Cancer screening in France: third edition of the EDIFICE survey.

The EDIFICE programme began in 2005 and set out to provide a clearer insight over time into the participation of the French population in cancer screening. EDIFICE 3 was conducted in 2011 by phone interviews among a representative sample of 1603 individuals aged between 40 and 75 years using the quota method. The analysis focused on the target populations (50-74 years) of the national screening programmes for breast and colorectal cancer.

Prostate cancer screening: contrasting trends.

Purpose: Our previously published data showed rapidly increasing rates of prostate cancer screening in men aged 50-74, which rose from 36% in 2005 to 48% in 2008. Based on men's reported intentions at that time, this was expected to rise to 70% in 2011. Here we report the actual rate of prostate cancer screening.

Feasibility of radiation therapy in patients 90years of age and older: a French multicentre analysis.

Background: There are only scarce data on the management of patients aged 90years or older with cancer, and more particularly on the place of radiation therapy (RT). We report the first large study on patients (pts) aged 90years or older receiving RT.

Methods And Materials: Records from RT departments from five institutions were reviewed to identify pts 90years of age and older who underwent RT for various malignant tumours treated between 2003 and 2012.

Added value of molecular targeted agents in oncology.

The treatment of certain cancers has been revolutionised in recent years by the introduction of novel drugs designed to target specific molecular factors implicated in tumour growth. Notable examples include trastuzumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody (mAb) against human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER)-2 in women with HER2-positive breast cancer; rituximab, an anti-CD20 mAb in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; imatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor in KIT-positive gastrointestinal stromal tumours and sunitinib, another tyrosine kinase inhibitor, in metastatic renal cell carcinoma. For regulatory reasons, new molecular targeted agents are first evaluated in advanced and metastatic disease, wherein they prolong survival.

Breast cancer screening in women aged 50-74 years: is there room for improvement?

Regular mammography screening has been available in France, free of charge, for all women aged 50-74 years since 2005. Two nationwide surveys [EDIFICE 1 (507 women interviewed; age 50-74 years) and EDIFICE 2 (488 women)] recently collected data on individuals' access to cancer screening procedures. Two further surveys interviewed 600 general practitioners (GPs) each to determine their attitudes towards screening in general and screening for breast cancer in particular.

Impact of general practitioners' sex and age on systematic recommendation for cancer screening.

Characteristics of primary-care providers have been associated with their patients' participation in breast cancer screening. A nationwide observational survey, 'EDIFICE', was conducted by telephone from December 2007 to January 2008 on a representative sample of 600 general practitioners (GPs) working in France, to investigate how a GP's characteristics may influence patient participation in screening for breast, colorectal and prostate cancer. For breast cancer screening, systematic recommendation was associated with female physicians [odds ratio (OR) =1.

Impact of awareness of cancer among acquaintances on cancer screening attendance.

Two nationwide observational surveys were carried out in France in 2005 and 2008 with the aim of assessing the impact on attitudes towards cancer screening of a positive history of cancer among a person's close circle of acquaintances (relatives, friends or colleagues). In 2005, 67% (993/1482) of people interviewed reported having someone in their close circle of acquaintances affected by cancer and in 2008, the rate was 80% (1158/1454). In 2008, having someone within a person's close circle of acquaintances affected by cancer did not increase the rate of screening for breast cancer (already high at >80%).

Screening for prostate cancer: growth without control.

In France, no official recommendations for or against systematic screening for prostate cancer have been issued yet. Therefore, individuals' choices with regard to screening or non-screening, and general practitioners' (GPs) recommendations for or against systematic screening should reflect personal preferences. Four nationwide observational studies (surveys) were conducted in France, two in 2005 and two in 2008, on a representative sample of participants aged between 40 and 75 years and a representative sample of GPs.

Organized colorectal cancer screening programmes: how to optimize efficiency in the general population.

In France, free faecal occult blood testing is offered to individuals aged between 50 and 74 years every 2 years as a method of screening for colorectal cancer (CRC). To assess how a proposed organized programme of CRC screening would be perceived among a representative sample of individuals living in France, aged between 40 and 75 years, and by a representative sample of general practitioners, two nationwide observational telephone surveys were carried out in 2005 (EDIFICE 1; 1601 individuals) and 2008 (EDIFICE 2; 1801 individuals). In 2008, 38% of individuals aged between 50 and 74 years reported undergoing screening for CRC; this corresponded to a statistically significant 13% increase in CRC screening rate compared with 2005 (P=0.

Mammography utilization in women aged 40-49 years: the French EDIFICE survey.

In France, mammography screening is offered to women aged between 50 and 74 years. EDIFICE, the iterative nationwide survey, collected data on a national level about consumers utilization of available cancer screening procedures. This analysis compared data from a subset of 241 women aged between 40 and 50 years with that of 488 women aged between 50 and 74 years.

Uptake of breast cancer screening in women aged over 75 years: a controversy to come?

In France, the age range for organized screening for breast cancer is 50-74 years. From a layperson's perspective, the public health message focusing on a specific target population may be difficult to understand. The aim of this study is to assess how women aged over 75 years deal with this absence of screening recommendations for their age group.

[Edifice program: analysis of screening exam practices for cancer in France].

Introduction: The practices of screening and the parameters influencing these practices are not well known in France. The objectives of the Edifice study were to analyze a large cohort of patients and doctors in order to further characterize these parameters.

Patients And Methods: The study was performed by the Institute TNS Healthcare-SOFRES, and included 2 parallel studies: 1) on 1 609 healthy persons representative of the global French population and aged 40 to 75 years (N = 1 509), with an over representation of patients aged 50 to 74 years living in the 22 pilot French departments pilots; 2) on 600 generalist practitioners.

Breast cancer screening in France: results of the EDIFICE survey.

Background: The EDIFICE survey aimed to investigate the compliance of the general population to the screening tests available in France for the 4 most common cancers: breast, colorectal, prostate and lung. Implementation of breast cancer screening has been generalized in France since 2003: women aged between 50 and 74 years are systematically invited to perform a mammography every second year. Results pertaining to breast cancer are reported hereafter.

Staged laparoscopic adjuvant intraperitoneal chemohyperthermia after complete resection for locally advanced colorectal or gastric cancer: a preliminary experience.

Background: Cytoreductive surgery followed by intraperitoneal chemohyperthermia (IPCH) is a promising treatment for patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis, a disease with dismal prognosis.

Methods: We describe our preliminary experience with staged adjuvant laparoscopic IPCH after complete resection in patients with locally or regionally advanced colorectal or gastric cancer.

Results: Twenty-one patients underwent resection for colorectal (N = 16) or gastric cancer (N = 5) followed by staged laparoscopic IPCH.

Impact of organised programs on colorectal cancer screening.

Purpose: Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening has been shown to decrease CRC mortality. Organised mass screening programs are being implemented in France. Its perception in the general population and by general practitioners is not well known.

Cancer screening in France: subjects' and physicians' attitudes.

Objective: Since screening for cancer has been advocated, funded, and promoted in France, it is important to evaluate the attitudes of subjects in the general population and general practitioners (GPs) toward cancer screening strategies.

Methods: EDIFICE is a nationwide opinion poll that was carried out by telephone among a representative sample of 1,504 subjects living in France and aged between 40 and 75 years and among a representative sample of 600 GPs. The questionnaire administered to subjects queried about previous screening for cancer.

Multicenter randomized phase II study of two schedules of docetaxel, estramustine, and prednisone versus mitoxantrone plus prednisone in patients with metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

Purpose: Mitoxantrone-corticosteroid is currently the standard palliative treatment in hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) patients. Recent clinical trials documented the high activity of the docetaxel-estramustine combination. We conducted a randomized phase II study to evaluate prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response (primary end point) and safety of two docetaxel-estramustine-prednisone (DEP) regimens and mitoxantrone-prednisone (MP).

Abdominal wall metastasis of a cervical adenocarcinoma at the laparoscopic trocar insertion site after ovarian transposition: case report and review of the literature.

Background: Laparoscopic ovarian transposition is currently used in the preirradiation management of cervical cancer in young women. This surgical technique helps avoid the short- and long-term complications of early menopause. Because there remains a risk of metastasis at the site where the laparoscopic trocar is inserted, more precise indications for this surgery are required.

Post-radiation severe xerostomia relieved by pilocarpine: a prospective French cooperative study.

Background And Purpose: The aim of the study was: (1) to confirm the action of pilocarpine hydrochloride (Salagen) against xerostomia: (2) to correlate the response to dose/volume radiotherapy parameters.

Materials And Methods: From June 1995 to February 1996, 156 patients with severe radiation induced xerostomia received pilocarpine hydrochloride orally. IS mg per day with a 5 mg optional increase at S weeks up to a daily dose of 25 mg beyond 9 weeks.