1,200 new cancer cases are detected every day in France. Almost half of these cancers could be avoided through prevention and screening.
It is in light of this observation, as well as guided by her experience at a cancer treatment center, the Bergonié Institute in Bordeaux, that Dr. Charlotte Berthaut identifies gaps in cancer prevention and screening, particularly the barriers posed by a lack of information.
Indeed, participation rates in screenings have stagnated or even decreased over the past 10 years in France, with fewer than one in two people currently undergoing screening. Although there are large-scale national campaigns organized, they are not sufficient. Moreover, over the past 30 years, there has been an increase of over 80% in cancers among young adults, specifically those aged 14-49.
How can we reach these young adults who are not targeted by screening campaigns? "We reach them through their professional environment, thus through their employer, or their mutual insurance or health insurance,” identifies Dr. Charlotte Berthaut. “And we reach them through digital means, which is why it is important to offer a solution like Dépist&vous to this population.”
On the platform, users are guided based on their risk profile towards a personalized screening pathway, with reminders, SMS, emails, prevention advice, links to appointment platforms, and listings of mammography centers… everything to ensure nothing is missed in terms of screening.
Dépist&vous also includes prevention workshops co-facilitated by healthcare professionals and patients, as well as skin cancer screenings conducted by healthcare professionals directly at the workplace.
In just one year of existence, the platform has already enabled the early detection of precancerous lesions in 11% of users. With 60% of registrants being under 50 years old, the solution promises significant advancements in screening in the future.
