Volunteers from Entraide Cancer in Saint-Nazaire (Loire-Atlantique) organized, in October 2024, the I walk or run against cancer event, which this year brought together more than 4,000 participants. There have been many other events for our benefit as part of Pink October, which today allows us to donate €18,000 to research, while keeping the sum necessary to support patients locally,
explained, Friday, December 6, Marie Deguiral, the president of the association. We proposed to Doctor Pons-Tostivint, research doctor at Inserm (National Institute of Research and Health) in Nantes, to be the godmother of our action, because for us, it is important to give to a team identified.
“Prevalence of asbestos-related lung cancer”
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality in France,
supports the oncologist-researcher. There are more and more of them, especially among women who started smoking in large numbers in the 1980s and 1990s. Today, the percentage of smokers among lung cancer patients is around 85%.
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Marie Deguiral, for her part, recalled that in Saint-Nazaire, “we note a prevalence of lung cancer linked to asbestos, with excess mortality compared to the rest of France, hence the importance of mobilizing for research
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Researchers indeed have a significant need for funding for work that is not supported by the State. There are six researchers in our laboratory, and we devote 50% of our time to responding to calls for tenders from associations, and to completing files for donations,
regrets, for her part, Delphine Fradin. Not all cancers receive as much publicity as breast cancer.
“One in two cancers could be avoided”
The researchers nevertheless want to convey a message of hope, because over the last five years, there have been many therapeutic advances, hence the importance of being treated in an expert center, such as the Nantes University Hospital, which has innovative treatments.”
they assure, recalling the need to have a healthy lifestyle, without tobacco or electronic cigarettes; because one in two cancers could be avoided
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The donation made by Entraide cancer will be used largely for research projects, work on the identification of mechanisms of resistance to treatments, but also for patients, through a hospital association which can cover certain non-reimbursed costs, for example,”
completes Elvire Pons-Tostivint.
