French Study Finds Deaf More Likely to have Late Stage Cancer Upon Diagnosis

France has about 51,000 Deaf who communicate primarily with French Sign Language. The French government has established 19 Deaf Care Units to help provide accessible health care. Druel et al. collected data from patients diagnosed with cancer at 5 of these centers over a 10-year period. A total of 80 newly diagnosed cases were found. The characteristics of these cancers were then compared to those of the rest of the French population. Colon and prostate cancers were significantly more likely to be at a late stage at diagnosis for the Deaf, while breast cancers were less likely. The authors attribute this to the guidelines for breast cancer screening being well-developed and straight-forward. On the other hand, the guidelines for prostate and colon cancers are less clearly defined and more dependant on communication between patients and providers, which can be difficult for the Deaf.


Druel, V., Hayet, H., Esman, L., Clavel, M., & Bugat, M.-E.R. (2018). Assessment of cancers’ diagnostic stage in a Deaf community - survey about 4363 Deaf patients recorded in French units. BMC Cancer, 18(1), 93.

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