Cancer and end of life: the management provided during the year and the month preceding death in 2015 and causes of death in France.

PURPOSE: The management of cancer patients at the end of life in France and their causes of death are not well known. METHODS: People managed for cancer in 2014-2015, who died in 2015 and who were covered by the national health insurance general scheme (77% of the French population) were selected from the national health data system in order to analyze the health care reimbursed during the year and the month before their death. RESULTS: This study included 125,497 people (mean age 73 years, SD 12.5) managed for cancer: colorectal: 12%, lung: 18%, prostate: 9%, breast: 8% and other: 62%. Almost 67% of people died in short-stay hospitals (SSH), 8% died in rehabilitation units (Rehab), 4% died in hospital at home (HaH), 5% died in skilled nursing homes (SNH) and 15% died at home or another place. The mean annual duration of all types of hospitalization was 70 days (SD 66) and 59% of patients had received hospital palliative care (HPC). During the last month of life, 42% of people had attended an emergency department at least once and people who had received HPC were less often admitted to an intensive care unit (10% versus 23%, 15% overall). During the month before death, 17% of patients had received intravenous chemotherapy (lung 23%, breast 21%) and 9% had received a pharmacy reimbursement for another form of chemotherapy (prostate 24%, breast 19%). The main cause of death was a tumour for 81% of patients: after management of lung cancer in 91% of cases, breast cancer in 81% of cases, colorectal cancer in 76% of cases and prostate cancer in 63% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: Cancer management and death mostly occurred in SSH in France. Cancer patients frequently attend the emergency department and frequently receive chemotherapy during the last month of life. These data continue to contrast with those observed in Scandinavian- and English-speaking countries, in which management of the end of life at home is preferred.

Access to inpatient palliative care among cancer patients in France: an analysis based on the national cancer cohort.

BACKGROUND: Closely linked to the concept of supportive care, the integrated model of palliative care (PC) implies identifying, assessing and treating physical and psychological suffering as early as needed, irrespective of patient characteristics. In France, as in the most southern European countries, little is known about the proportion of cancer patients who have access to PC. Accordingly, we aimed in this study to estimate the proportion of cancer patients in France who have access to inpatient PC, and to explore associated factors. We carried out a nationwide retrospective cohort study using data from the French national health system database (SNDS) for all individuals diagnosed with cancer in 2013 and followed between 2013 and 2016. We compared patients who had inpatient PC with those who did not. RESULTS: Of the 313,059 cancer patients included in the national French cancer cohort in 2013, 53,437 (17%) accessed inpatient PC at least once between 2013 and 2016, ranging from 2% in survivors to 56% in the deceased population. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that women and younger patients (18-49 years old) were less likely to access inpatient PC while patients with a greater number of comorbidities, metastatic cancer, or cancer of the nervous system, were more likely to have done so. CONCLUSIONS: A negligible proportion of cancer survivors accessed inpatient PC. More research and training are needed to convince healthcare providers, patients, and families about the substantial benefits of PC, and to promote better integration of PC and oncology.

[Incidence, mortality and prevalence of cancers in metropolitan France]. / Incidence, mortalité et prévalence des cancers en France métropolitaine.

Incidence, mortality and prevalence of cancers in metropolitan France. About 400,000 new people are diagnosed with cancer every year in metropolitan France, including 53.5% men and 46.5% women. Cancer is also the cause of almost 150,000 annual deaths of which 56% occur in men and 44% in women. Nearly 3.8 million people (1.8 million men and 2.0 million women) aged 15 and over have had cancer during their lifetime and are alive in 2017, or 7.0 % of the population aged 15 and over.

Incidence, mortalité et prévalence des cancers en France métropolitaine. Près de 400 000 nouvelles personnes sont diagnostiquées avec un cancer chaque année en France métropolitaine dont 53,5 % d'hommes et 46,5 % de femmes. Le cancer est également la cause d'environ 150 000 décès annuels parmi lesquels 56 % surviennent chez l'homme et 44 % chez la femme. On estime que près de 3,8 millions de personnes (1,8 million d'hommes et 2,0 millions de femmes) de 15 ans et plus ont eu un cancer au cours de leur vie et sont en vie en 2017, soit 7,0 % de la population de 15 ans et plus.

Comparison of outcome measures in allergic rhinitis in children, adolescents and adults.

BACKGROUND: Grass pollen-induced allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (AR) is very common worldwide. However, its symptoms may vary with the patient's age. The present study compared symptom profiles and quality of life (QoL) in children, adolescents and adults with grass pollen-induced AR. METHODS: This was a four-week, multicentre, observational study of children (aged 6-11), adolescents (12-17) and adults (18-65) consulting specialist physicians in France. The management of AR was at the physicians' discretion. Participants regularly rated their symptoms (the rhinoconjunctivitis total symptom score (RTSS) and a visual analogue scale (VAS)) and QoL (the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ). RESULTS: A total of 806 patients (253 children, 250 adolescents and 303 adults, of whom 83.5% suffered from moderate-to-severe, persistent AR) provided data for at least the first 2 weeks of the study. Ocular pruritus (the most bothersome symptom in children (35%), adolescents (22%) and adults (16%)) was associated with poor QoL in all groups, whereas nasal obstruction and pruritus were associated with poor QoL in adolescents and children. Over 4 weeks, the weekly mean RTSS and VAS scores fell by around half. This change was associated with an improvement in the RQLQ scores. In all age groups, the VAS score was well correlated with the weekly mean RTSS score (Pearson's r: 0.79-0.88) and moderately correlated with the weekly mean RQLQ score (Pearson's r: 0.64-0.80). CONCLUSIONS: In moderate-to-severe grass pollen-induced AR, symptom perception differs in children vs. older patients. However, the assessments of treatment outcomes (using the RTSS, VAS and RQLQ) were similar in all age groups.

Clinical relevance of cluster analysis in phenotyping allergic rhinitis in a real-life study.

BACKGROUND: Disease stratification, using phenotypic characterization performed either by hypothesis- or data-driven methods, was developed to improve clinical decisions. However, cluster analysis has not been used for allergic rhinitis. OBJECTIVE: To define clusters in allergic rhinitis and to compare them with ARIA (Allergic Rhinitis and Its Impact on Asthma), a hypothesis-driven approach. METHODS: A French observational prospective multicenter study (EVEIL: Echelle visuelle analogique dans la rhinite allergique) was carried out on 990 patients consulting general practitioners for allergic rhinitis and treated as per clinical practice. In this study, changes in symptom scores, visual analogue scales and quality of life were measured at baseline and after 14 days of treatment. A post hoc analysis was performed to identify clusters of patients with allergic rhinitis ­ using Ward's hierarchical method ­ and to define their clinical relevance at baseline and after 14 days of treatment. The cluster approach was compared to the ARIA approach. RESULTS: Patients were clustered into 4 phenotypes which partly followed the ARIA classes. These phenotypes differed in their disease severity including symptoms and quality of life. Physicians in real-life practice prescribed medication regardless of the phenotype and severity, with the exception of patients with ocular symptoms. Prescribed treatments were comparable in hypothesis- and data-driven analyses. The prevalence of uncontrolled patients during treatment was similar in the 4 clusters, but was significantly different according to the ARIA classes. CONCLUSION: Cluster analysis using demographic and clinical parameters only does not appear to add relevant information for disease stratification in allergic rhinitis.

Do Teaching General Practitioners' Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Influence Their Management of Patients with Low Back Pain?

OBJECTIVES: To describe fear-avoidance beliefs about low back pain (LBP) in a sample of teaching general practitioners (TGPs) and to investigate the impact on following the guidelines for LBP. METHODS: A sample of 112 French TGPs were contacted to complete a self-administered questionnaire including socio-demographic and professional data, personal history of LBP, CME about LBP and usual practices, and their low back pain beliefs using the Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ) and the Back Belief Questionnaire (BBQ). RESULTS: Forty-seven responded, 48% treated more than 10 LBP patients per month, and 45% participated in an educational session on LBP during the previous 3 years. Seventy percent reported a previous episode of acute LBP, while 30% suffered from chronic LBP. The median scores for the FABQ-phys and work were 8 (4 to 10) and 17 (11 to 21), and 35 (31 to 38) for the BBQ. There were no correlations between age or years of practice and FABQ scores. TGPs suffering more than 1 acute LBP episode per month had a lower BBQ score (P < 0.05). Those prescribing more imaging exams in acute LBP had higher FABQ and lower BBQ scores, while those who recommended rest in both acute and chronic LBP had a higher FABQ-phys score. DISCUSSION: Teaching general practitioners' fear-avoidance beliefs about LBP are lower than previously reported by their GP colleagues but still negatively influence the way they follow guidelines for LBP patients. This may influence the way they teach the management of LBP.

[Mapping of the key oncology indicators available in France]. / Cartographie des principaux indicateurs disponibles en France dans le domaine du cancer.

BACKGROUND: Available data in the field of oncology in France are scattered due to the large number of available indicators and their sources. In order to facilitate identification and analysis of these indicators, the French National Cancer Institute (INCa) has mapped the main indicators available in oncology. METHODS: Mapping was based on the needs of various categories of potential users. Standardized interviews were conducted face-to-face or by email among representatives to determine their needs and expectations. The underlying data sources were also identified: databases, national surveys, websites. A first selection of indicators was proposed in the report entitled "La situation du cancer en France en 2009" ("The state of cancer in France in 2009") and was expanded. Data collection concerning indicators was performed among INCa correspondents for each theme. RESULTS: Several themes were defined: epidemiology, prevention and risk factors, screening, medical demography, health care offer, living conditions, costs and expenses, research. Data were classified according to: geographical coverage, age, gender, type of cancer, occupational categories. This information was collected for each indicator selected and was made available via the cancer data website (http://lesdonnees.e-cancer.fr). CONCLUSIONS: The available oncology indicators are numerous and scattered. Mapping can be a useful tool to facilitate access to these indicators. It should be regularly updated to reflect the most recent data.

[After cancer: after-eff ects, return to work and the right to forget]. / Après un cancer : séquelles, retour à l'emploi et droit à l'oubli.

AFTER CANCER: AFTER-EFFECTS. RETURN TO WORK AND THE RIGHT TO FORGET. The ten-year strategy 2021-2030 against cancers makes staying at work or returning to work after cancer a major priority. A growing number of patients are on the job market at the time of their cancer diagnosis, with a potentially long career future. The after-effects of the disease, and the gap between them and the professional world, present them with numerous difficulties. French national cancer institute (INCa) has launched several initiatives to help people stay in work and return to work, in particular to complement the measures developed by the League against Cancer. INCa has set up the «Cancer and Employment¼ Business Club, a forum for the exchange of best practices and experiences between employers and researchers in the human and social sciences. The «Cancer aide info réseau entrepreneur¼ (CAIRE) scheme supports self-employed patients in their professional careers, and gives them a voice in their professional ecosystem. Research initiatives are also undertaken. The social repercussions of the disease also include its impact on borrowing capacity, for both personal and business loans. The "right to be forgotten" for cancer sufferers applies 5 years after the end of the therapeutic protocol. A grid completes the system, and in certain cases enables insurances for a loan can be obtained on standard or similar terms, even before this period has elapsed. It also includes other pathologies such as HIV, hepatitis C and cystic fibrosis. Last but not least, health questionnaires have been abolished for loans under €200,000. The role of the health professional is paramount, providing advice and facilitating the completion of documents requested by insurers.

APRÈS UN CANCER : SÉQUELLES, RETOUR À L'EMPLOI ET DROIT À L'OUBLI. La stratégie décennale de lutte contre les cancers 2021-2030 fait du maintien et/ou retour au travail ou en activité après un cancer une de ses priorités. Un nombre croissant de malades sont sur le marché du travail au moment de la survenue du cancer, avec un horizon de carrière potentiel assez long. Ces malades doivent faire face à de nombreuses difficultés du fait des séquelles de la maladie mais souvent également du décalage qui s'installe entre eux et le monde professionnel. Les entreprises se sentent fréquemment démunies. L'Institut national de cancer (INCa) a lancé plusieurs actions pour favoriser le maintien et le retour à l'emploi, notamment en complément de dispositifs développés par la Ligue contre le cancer ; l'INCa a ainsi créé un club d'entreprises « Cancer et emploi ¼, espace d'échanges de bonnes pratiques et d'expériences entre employeurs et chercheurs en sciences humaines et sociales. Le dispositif « Cancer Aide Info Réseau Entrepreneur ¼ (CAIRE) accompagne les travailleurs indépendants malades dans leur parcours professionnel et porte leur voix auprès des acteurs de leur écosystème professionnel. Des actions de recherche sont également entreprises. Le retentissement social de la maladie concerne aussi la capacité d'emprunt, pour des prêts à caractère personnel ou professionnel. Le droit à l'oubli pour les personnes atteintes de cancer s'applique cinq ans après la fin du protocole thérapeutique. Une grille vient compléter ce dispositif et permet dans certains cas, avant même la survenue de ce délai, l'obtention d'une assurance pour un prêt aux conditions standard ou s'en rapprochant. Cette grille inclut également d'autres pathologies, comme le VIH, l'hépatite C ou la mucoviscidose. Enfin, les questionnaires de santé sont supprimés pour les assurances de prêts inférieurs à 200 000 €. La place du professionnel de santé est prépondérante, en apportant des conseils et en facilitant la complétion des documents demandés par les assureurs.

[Cancers: incidence and survival in metropolitan France]. / Cancers : incidence et survie en France métropolitaine.

CANCERS: INCIDENCE AND SURVIVAL IN METROPOLITAN France. Incidence and survival rates are key indicators for cancer surveillance. They also help to drive cancer control programs and public health policies. Focusing on the main cancer localisations, this paper describes the latest incidence (2023) and survival (2018) rates, as well as their evolutions since 1990 in metropolitan France. In 2023, the number of new cases of cancer was estimated to be 433 136, of which 57% occurring in men. Both gender considered, the most frequent cancers are: breast cancer (61 214 new cases), prostate cancer (59 885 new cases) and lung cancer (52 777 new cases). Although the « all cancer ¼ incidence rate as remained quite stable for 33 years in men, it has been raising by almost 1% per year in women. Regarding survival, the standardized net survival (SNS) at 5 years shows great disparities among tumor sites, and it is overall higher in women. Cancers with the best prognosis are thyroid cancer (SNS at 5 years: 96%), prostate cancer (93%), skin melanoma (93%) and uterine cancer (74%). On the contrary, a few tumor locations, including the pancreas (SNS at 5 years of 11%), the liver (18%) and the lung (20%) are still associated with a poor prognosis, even if survival rates have increased in most of cancer locations since 1990.

CANCERS: INCIDENCE ET SURVIE EN FRANCE MÉTROPOLITAINE. Les données d'incidence et de survie constituent des indicateurs essentiels à la surveillance des cancers et à l'orientation des politiques publiques en matière de lutte contre le cancer. Cet article résume les données les plus récentes d'incidence (2023) et de survie (2018) des principaux cancers, ainsi que leur évolution depuis 1990. En 2023, en France, le nombre total de nouveaux cas de cancers est estimé à 433 136 cas, dont 57 % chez l'homme. Tous sexes confondus, les cancers les plus fréquents sont le cancer du sein (61 214 nouveaux cas), le cancer de la prostate (59 885 nouveaux cas) et le cancer du poumon (52 777 nouveaux cas). Si le taux d'incidence « tous cancers ¼ est plutôt stable chez l'homme depuis 1990 (+0,3 % par an), il a augmenté de presque 1 % par an chez la femme. La survie nette standardisée (SNS) à cinq ans varie, quant à elle, considérablement selon les localisations, meilleure chez les femmes pour les cancers qui concernent les deux sexes. Les cancers de meilleur pronostic sont notamment ceux de la thyroïde (96 %), de la prostate (93 %), le mélanome de la peau (93 %) et le cancer du corps de l'utérus (74 %). À l'inverse, certains cancers fréquents, dont celui du pancréas (SNS à cinq ans de 11 %), du foie (18 %) ou encore du poumon (20 %), ont une survie qui reste défavorable, malgré une évolution encourageante de la survie dans la plupart des localisations depuis 1990.

Cancer Risk Among Patients With Multiple Sclerosis: A 10-Year Nationwide Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Previous literature has been diverging on cancer risk in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Therefore, this study compared the risk of cancer in PwMS and a matched sample from the French general population. METHODS: This 10-year nationwide retrospective matched cohort study (2012-2021) used data from the national French administrative health care database (99% coverage of the French population) to determine the time to the first incident cancer. PwMS were identified using their long-term disease (LTD) status, hospitalizations, and multiple sclerosis (MS)-specific drug reimbursements. The control population was matched 4:1 on age, sex, residence, insurance scheme, and cohort entry date. Participants were included if they had no history of cancer in the 3 years before inclusion. Patients with cancer were identified through LTD status, hospitalizations, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or prostate cancer-specific drug reimbursements. Overall and cancer location-specific hazard ratios (HRs) for the first incident cancer were obtained from Fine and Gray models, and age- and sex-stratified estimates were reported. Participation in cancer screening through the 3 national programs (breast, colorectal, and cervical) were compared between groups. RESULTS: Cancer incidence was 799 per 100,000 person-years (PYs) (n = 8,368) among the 140,649 PwMS and 736 per 100,000 PYs (n = 31,796) among the 562,596 matched controls (70.8% of women; follow-up: 7.6 ± 3.2 years). A small overall risk increase was observed for PwMS (HR 1.06, 95% CI 1.03-1.08), mostly in women (HR 1.08, 95% CI 1.05-1.11). Risk varied by cancer types and was lower for prostate (HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.73-0.88), breast (HR 0.91, 95% CI 0.86-0.95), and colorectal (HR 0.90, 95% CI 0.84-0.97) cancer and higher for bladder (HR 1.71, 95% CI 1.54-1.89), brain (HR 1.68, 95% CI 1.42-1.98), and cervical (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.12-1.38) cancer in PwMS. Cancer risk was higher in PwMS younger than 55 years (HR 1.20, 95% CI 1.15-1.24) but decreased in PwMS aged 65 years and older (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.85-0.94). This trend was found in all cancer locations. There were fewer PwMS getting screened than controls (all programs), with a particularly pronounced difference among those aged 65 years and older. DISCUSSION: Cancer risk was slightly increased in PwMS, particularly for urogenital cancers, possibly due to surveillance bias. Risk fluctuated depending on age, perhaps due to varying generational screening practices (i.e., diagnosis neglect in the older PwMS) and risk factors.

Association between the antibiotics use and recurrence in patients with resected colorectal cancer: EVADER-1, a nation-wide pharmaco-epidemiologic study.

BACKGROUND: The impact of antibiotics (ATBs) on the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) recurrence after curative resection remains unknown. METHODS: Using the French nation-wide database of cancer patients, all newly diagnosed non-metastatic CRC patients resected between 01/2012 and 12/2014 were included. The perioperative ATB intake (from 6 months before surgery until 1 year after) was classified according to the class, the period of use (pre- vs post-resection), the disease stage (localized and locally advanced), and the primary tumor location (colon and rectum/junction). The primary endpoint was the 3-year disease-free survival (DFS). The impact of ATB was assessed using time-dependent multivariate Cox models. RESULTS: A total of 35,496 CRC patients were included. Seventy-nine percent of patients had at least one ATB intake. Outpatient ATB intake after surgery was associated with unfavorable 3-year DFS. The ATBs associated with decreased 3-year DFS were cephalosporins, streptogramins, quinolones, penicillin A with beta-lactamase inhibitors, and antifungals with differential effects according to the primary tumor location and disease stage. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that ATBs modulate the risk of recurrence after early CRC resection with a differential impact of the ATB classes depending on disease stage and tumor site.

Concomitant medication, comorbidity and survival in patients with breast cancer.

Between 30% and 70% of patients with breast cancer have pre-existing chronic conditions, and more than half are on long-term non-cancer medication at the time of diagnosis. Preliminary epidemiological evidence suggests that some non-cancer medications may affect breast cancer risk, recurrence, and survival. In this nationwide cohort study, we assessed the association between medication use at breast cancer diagnosis and survival. We included 235,368 French women with newly diagnosed non-metastatic breast cancer. In analyzes of 288 medications, we identified eight medications positively associated with either overall survival or disease-free survival: rabeprazole, alverine, atenolol, simvastatin, rosuvastatin, estriol (vaginal or transmucosal), nomegestrol, and hypromellose; and eight medications negatively associated with overall survival or disease-free survival: ferrous fumarate, prednisolone, carbimazole, pristinamycin, oxazepam, alprazolam, hydroxyzine, and mianserin. Full results are available online from an interactive platform ( https://adrenaline.curie.fr ). This resource provides hypotheses for drugs that may naturally influence breast cancer evolution.

Impact of allergic rhinitis symptoms on quality of life in primary care.

BACKGROUND: Allergic rhinitis (AR) impairs quality of life (QoL), sleep and work. The Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) classification is widely used, but the impact of the different symptoms on QoL is not clear. OBJECTIVE: To describe characteristics of patients consulting in primary care for AR and to study the impact of AR symptoms and the ARIA classes on QoL. METHODS: A multicenter prospective observational cross-sectional study assessed the visual analogue scale (VAS) in the management of AR in 990 patients consulting general practitioners for AR. Patients were classified according to the four classes of ARIA. VAS, Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) and total symptom score (TSS) for nasal and non-nasal symptoms were evaluated. VAS and TSS measures were compared with RQLQ. RESULTS: Mild intermittent rhinitis was diagnosed in 20% of patients, mild persistent rhinitis in 17%, moderate/severe intermittent rhinitis in 15% and moderate/severe persistent rhinitis in 48%. The presence of treatments did not affect VAS levels. Both severity and duration of rhinitis had an impact on QoL and VAS levels. Ocular symptoms (OR: 2.78, 95% CI: 1.965-3.939) including eyelid edema (OR: 2.07, 95% CI: 1.274-3.360) and asthenia (OR: 2.73, 95% CI: 1.922-3.877) had more impact on RQLQ than nasal obstruction (OR: 1.61, 95% CI: 1.078-2.405) and nasal pruritus (OR 1.45, 95% CI: 1.028-2.042). Sneezing and rhinorrhea did not impact RQLQ. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed that ocular symptoms and, to a lesser degree, nasal obstruction and pruritus have a significant impact on QoL.

Hypoparathyroidism-related health care utilization and expenditure during the first postoperative year after total thyroidectomy for cancer: a comprehensive national cohort study.

Objectives: Hypoparathyroidism is the most common complication of total thyroidectomy for cancer, and requires calcium and/or vitamin D supplementation for an unpredictable period of time. The additional cost associated with this complication has not hitherto been assessed. The aim of this study was to assess the economic burden of postoperative hypoparathyroidism after total thyroidectomy for cancer in France. Methods: Based on the French national cancer cohort, which extracts data from the French National Health Data System (SNDS), all adult patients who underwent a total thyroidectomy for cancer in France between 2011 and 2015 were identified, and their healthcare resource use during the first postoperative year was compared according to whether they were treated postoperatively with calcium and/or vitamin D or not. Univariate and multivariate cost analyses were performed with the non-parametric Wilcoxon test and generalized linear model (gamma distribution and log link), respectively. Results: Among the 31,175 patients analyzed (75% female, median age: 52y), 13,247 (42%) started calcium and/or vitamin D supplementation within the first postoperative month, and 2,855 patients (9.1%) were still treated at 1 year. Over the first postoperative year, mean overall and specific health expenditures were significantly higher for treated patients than for untreated patients: €7,233 vs €6,934 per patient (p<0.0001) and €478.6 vs €332.7 per patient (p<0.0001), respectively. After adjusting for age, gender, Charlson Comorbidity index, ecological deprivation index, types of thyroid resection, lymph node dissection and complications, year and region, the incremental cost of overall health care utilization was €142 (p<0.004). Conclusion: Our study found a significant additional cost in respect of health expenditures for patients who had hypoparathyroidism after thyroidectomy for cancer, over the first postoperative year. Five-year follow-up is planned to assess the impact of more severe long-term complications on costs.

Estimation of Oncologic Surgery Case Volume Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic in France.

Importance: COVID-19 has had a major effect on health care activities, especially surgery. At first, comparisons were proposed using 2019 activities as the highest standard. However, while such an approach might have been suitable during the first months of the pandemic, this might no longer be the case for a longer period. Objective: To examine approaches that may better assess the use of cancer surgeries. Design, Setting, and Participants: In a cross-sectional design, the nationwide French hospital facility data (Medicalised Information System Program) were used to assess cancer surgery for 6 cancer site categories in adults from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2021. Exposure: Estimated cancer surgery activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Main Outcomes and Measures: Three models were proposed to assess the expected number of surgical procedures between 2020 and 2021 and make a comparison with those observed in earlier years. Results: In France, cancer removal surgeries account for approximately 7000 hospitalizations per year for liver cancer; 4000 for pancreatic cancer; 7700 for ovarian cancer; 1300 for esophagus cancer; 23 000 for ear, nose, and throat (ENT) cancer; 78 000 for breast cancer; and 16 600 for thoracic cancers. For most cancer sites, the number of surgical procedures increased from 2010 to 2019: liver, 14%; pancreas, 38%; ovary, 14%; esophagus, 18%; breast, 8%; and thoracic, 29%. Assuming stability, these values underestimate the gap in activity observed in 2020-2021. For other procedures, a decrease was observed: stomach, -10%, and ENT, -6%. Assuming stability, these values overestimate the gap in activity observed in 2020-2021. At the end of 2021, according to the model, the gap in activity observed in 2020-2021 was estimated at between -1.4% and 1.7% for breast, -6.6% and -7.3% for thoracic, -3.1% and -2.5% for ovarian, -4.2% and -1.7% for pancreas, -6.7% and 5.9% for stomach, and -13.0% and -13.9% for esophageal cancers. For ENT, liver, and urologic cancers, because the trend was different before and after 2015, it was necessary to opt for modeling using only the most recent period. The cumulative gap in activity observed in 2020-2021 was estimated at -1.0% for ENT cancers, -5.3% for liver cancers, and -2.9% for urologic cancers. Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this study suggest that short- and medium-term trends must be considered to estimate COVID-19 cancer surgery activities. Breast cancer is the site for which the activity showed the smallest decrease during the pandemic, with almost full recovery in 2021.

Killing tumor-associated bacteria with a liposomal antibiotic generates neoantigens that induce anti-tumor immune responses.

Increasing evidence implicates the tumor microbiota as a factor that can influence cancer progression. In patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), we found that pre-resection antibiotics targeting anaerobic bacteria substantially improved disease-free survival by 25.5%. For mouse studies, we designed an antibiotic silver-tinidazole complex encapsulated in liposomes (LipoAgTNZ) to eliminate tumor-associated bacteria in the primary tumor and liver metastases without causing gut microbiome dysbiosis. Mouse CRC models colonized by tumor-promoting bacteria (Fusobacterium nucleatum spp.) or probiotics (Escherichia coli Nissle spp.) responded to LipoAgTNZ therapy, which enabled more than 70% long-term survival in two F. nucleatum-infected CRC models. The antibiotic treatment generated microbial neoantigens that elicited anti-tumor CD8+ T cells. Heterologous and homologous bacterial epitopes contributed to the immunogenicity, priming T cells to recognize both infected and uninfected tumors. Our strategy targets tumor-associated bacteria to elicit anti-tumoral immunity, paving the way for microbiome-immunotherapy interventions.

How can we better classify NSAID hypersensitivity reactions?--validation from a large database.

BACKGROUND: Hypersensitivity to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is one of the most common drug hypersensitivities. Several clinical subtypes have been distinguished depending on symptomatology (respiratory, cutaneous, anaphylaxis), timing (immediate, delayed), underlying chronic disease (asthma, chronic urticaria) or putative mechanism of the reaction (allergic, nonallergic mediated). The aim of the present study was to better classify the many hypersensitivity reactions to NSAIDs. METHODS: In the present retrospective study, during an 11-year study period, we collected data from all patients with a proven NSAID hypersensitivity. Reactions were classified according to clinical patterns, chronology, underlying diseases and the results of oral provocation tests into 5 and 7 groups in line with two published classifications, respectively. RESULTS: Forty-nine and 88 out of 307 reactions (in 122 patients) could not be classified on the basis of the two previously published classifications. We created a new classification which could include all patient reactions. CONCLUSIONS: Our new classification is more suitable for clinical expression of NSAID hypersensitivity. It allows clinicians to identify patients at a high risk, based on the clinical history and clinical manifestations. Moreover, it is helpful for a better understanding and teaching of these reactions.

Care pathway of women with interval breast cancer in 2016, based on medico-administrative data.

BACKGROUND: Since 2004, an organised screening programme (OS) for breast cancer has been in place for 50-74 years women who are not at an increased risk. Despite this, 17% of cancers diagnosed within 24 months following an OS mammogram are interval cancers (IC), diagnosed even though the OS had not reported cancer. After identifying IC from the French administrative healthcare database (SNDS), our objective was to describe the care pathways of women with IC in 2016. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The IC identification algorithm is based on breast imaging tests conducted in the 24 months prior to diagnosis and on the compatibility of their timeline with ACR3 lesion follow-up (BIRADS guidelines). The care pathways of 3 groups were compared: women with IC, diagnosed through the OS, and diagnosed outside the OS programme (personalised screening or based on clinical signs, PSCS group). RESULTS: Respectively, 12,965 (46%), 3433 (12%), and 11,761 women (42%) were classified in the OS, IC and PSCS groups, i.e. 20.9% IC cases among the women taking part in the OS programme. The women from the IC group presented with more forms with lymph node or metastatic involvement than those of the OS group. Their pathways were more complex than in the OS group: at an equivalent stage, more total mastectomies and more adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimens. CONCLUSION: The care pathways of women with IC are intermediate with respect to those of the OS or PSCS group.Cases of IC probably include several cancer prognosis profiles.

Monitoring the impact of COVID-19 in France on cancer care: a differentiated impact.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a substantial and lasting impact on care provision, particularly in the field of cancer care. National steering has helped monitor the health situation and adapt the provision and organisation of care. Based on data from the French administrative healthcare database (SNDS) on the entire French population (67 million people), screening, diagnostic and therapeutic activity was monitored and compared 2019 on a monthly basis. A noteworthy decline in all activities (with the exception of chemotherapy) was observed during the first lockdown in France. Over the months that followed, this activity returned to normal but did not make up for the shortfall from the first lockdown. Finally, during the lockdown in late 2020, cancer care activity was conserved. In brief, in 2020, the number of mammograms decreased by 10% (- 492,500 procedures), digestive endoscopies by 19% (- 648,500), and cancer-related excision by 6% (- 23,000 surgical procedures). Hospital radiotherapy activity was down 3.8% (- 4400 patients) and that in private practice was down 1.4% (- 1600 patients). Chemotherapy activity increased by 2.2% (7200 patients), however. To summarize, COVID-19 had a very substantial impact during the first lockdown. Safeguarding cancer care activity helped limit this impact over the months that followed, but the situation remains uncertain. Further studies on the medium- and long-term impact on individuals (survival, recurrence, after-effects) will be conducted.

Monitoring Breast Cancer Care Quality at National and Local Level Using the French National Cancer Cohort.

PURPOSE: The French National Cancer Institute has developed, in partnership with the French National Authority for Health, breast cancer-specific Care Quality, and Safety Indicators (BC QIs). With regard to the most common form of cancer, our aim is to support local and national quality initiatives, to improve BC pathways and outcomes, reduce heterogeneity of practice and regional inequities. In this study, we measure the BC QIs available in the French National medico-administrative cancer database, the French Cancer Cohort, for 2018. MATERIALS AND METHODS: BC QIs are developed according to the RAND method. QIs are based on good clinical practice and care pathway recommendations. QI computation should be automatable without any additional workload for data collection. They will be published annually for all stakeholders, and especially hospitals. RESULTS: Finally, ten feasible and pertinent QIs were selected. In France, BC care was found to be close to compliance with most QIs: proportion of patients undergoing biopsy prior to first treatment (94.5%), proportion of patients undergoing adjuvant radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery for BC (94.5%), proportion of women undergoing radiotherapy within 12 weeks after surgery and without chemotherapy (86.2%), proportion of DCIS patients undergoing immediate breast reconstruction (54.3%) and proportion of women with NMIBC undergoing breast reintervention (14.4%). However, some are still far from their recommended rate. In particular, some QIs vary considerably from one region, or one patient, to another. CONCLUSION: Each result needs to be analyzed locally to find care quality leverage. This will strengthen transparency actions aimed at the public.