Aurélien Rousseau Reveals Cancer Diagnosis, Urges Government to Safeguard Research Funding

“These deeply personal matters are also political issues,” declared former Health Minister Aurélien Rousseau in the National Assembly on Tuesday, June 3, as he publicly revealed having been diagnosed with cancer. Now a Place Publique MP representing Yvelines, Rousseau used a government Q&A session to raise alarm over the rising number of cancer cases—especially among younger populations—and to call on the government to ensure that research budgets remain untouched.

A Call for Prevention and Transparency

In a moving address met with applause from fellow lawmakers, Rousseau stressed the importance of maintaining investment in cancer research. “We are living in a paradox,” he said. “Every day, new treatments are being announced around the world with promising prospects, and yet many of us are living with, or have lived with, cancer.”

He referenced the public statement made by National Assembly President Yaël Braun-Pivet, who disclosed in January that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022. Rousseau said his own disclosure was not just to explain his long absence from Parliament but to remind the French people that these personal matters carry political weight.

“We Must Prepare for a Tsunami”

Quoting Professor Fabrice Barlesi, head of the Gustave Roussy Institute, Rousseau warned that the country must be prepared for a “tsunami” of new cancer cases. He cited well-known risk factors such as alcohol, tobacco, obesity, and poor diet, while also calling attention to lesser-understood influences like environmental pollution, ultra-processed foods, endocrine disruptors, and hormonal contraceptives.

Rousseau also urged the government to strengthen cancer prevention strategies, which he described as essential in fighting recurrence and addressing social health inequalities. He called on the Health Ministry to ensure scientific transparency and to complete the national cancer registry project, which he said was vital for better understanding cancer trends and causes.

Government Reassures on Funding and Data

In response, Health Minister Yannick Neuder praised Rousseau’s courage, along with that of the four million French citizens currently living with cancer. He affirmed that there are no plans to cut funding for cancer research and confirmed that all parliamentary groups support placing the national cancer registry on the legislative agenda.

Neuder also said current public health efforts are focused on lifestyle changes and environmental risk factors, including air and water quality, pesticides, PFAS chemicals, and ultra-processed foods, which he called “a serious lead.”