Rare Tumor Treatment Now Covered by French Health Insurance After Patient Advocacy
Sarlat-la-Canéda, France – A breakthrough for patients battling desmoid tumors: FranceS national health insurance will now reimburse a minimally invasive cryotherapy procedure, a victory spurred by patient advocacy adn clinical evidence demonstrating the treatment’s effectiveness. The decision, published in the Official Journal in June, offers renewed hope for the approximately 400 patients diagnosed with these rare growths each year.
For years, sufferers like Laura Rodrigues endured the physical and emotional toll of desmoid tumors – often benign but locally aggressive growths that can cause debilitating pain and functional impairment. Rodrigues, who couldn’t turn her head due to a tumor, experienced a “miraculous” recovery after undergoing cryotherapy with Doctor Bui in 2016. “I was hospitalized for three days, I had the neck swollen for two weeks and then the tumor regressed little by little, without side effects,” she recounts. Her story, and those of others championed by the SOS Desmoid association, helped pave the way for this landmark coverage decision.
The reimbursement applies to percutaneous destruction of desmoid tumors performed under imaging guidance (MRI or CT scan),following a positive diagnosis confirmed by biopsy,as emphasized by Professor Afshin Gangi. While cryotherapy demonstrates effectiveness – with a failure rate around 15%, notably for tumors near major nerves – early and accurate diagnosis remains crucial.
The change follows a thorough assessment by the High Authority for Health (HAS) at the request of SOS Desmoid, which represents roughly 200 patients across France. The association’s work highlighted the need for wider access to this treatment option, offering a less invasive alternative to traditional surgical approaches. Rodrigues, a former student at the Sarlat pre-de-Ro-Rocey high school, exemplifies the potential for patients to resume normal lives following prosperous cryotherapy.
