A French court has for the first time recognised cosmic radiation as a factor in the breast cancer of a long-serving flight attendant.

Sophie Lainault, a 59 year-old former stewardess on Air France, sought to have her cancer recognised as an occupational disease, brought on by conditions at work.

This has now been confirmed in a landmark court ruling in the southwestern town of Bayonne, which said that cosmic radiation was one of three carcinogenic hazards arising from her profession. The other two were passive smoking and prolonged night work.

Smoking was authorised on Air France flights until 2000.

The decision means that Lainault, who is in remission from her cancer, can take early retirement with any further treatment fully reimbursed by the French health system.

And by establishing breast cancer as an officially-recognised risk for flight crews, the court has also cleared the way for many other similar claims, lawyers say.

“My dearest wish is that the decision encourages other women who up until now have not had the courage to take this step,” Lainault said.

As stewardess and later purser on Air France airliners, Lainault clocked up 12,600 flight hours between 1989 and 2019. More than half of these were at night.

Many long-distance high-altitude flights from Paris would have taken her near the North Pole, where exposure to radiation from space – strictly speaking particles from the sun and other stars – is the most intense. 

A study this month at the Harvard Medical School in the US found that flight attendants and pilots had the highest level of radiation-related cancer deaths among more than 500 different professions.

In all, about 6.9% of deaths among flight attendants and 6.7% of deaths among pilots were from radiation-related cancers, according to the analysis.

These proportions were higher than for other professions including nuclear technologists, who are routinely exposed to radiation from non-cosmic sources yet placed 12th on the list, the authors said.

It has long been known that air travel at high altitudes exposes people to cosmic radiation, but the dose for most travellers is regarded as statistically insignificant. Exposure at the poles is more intense because elsewhere the earth’s magnetic field acts as a shield.

“In France the link between breast cancer and certain hazards has been established for a number of professions, such as nurses … but this is the first time for an air-hostess,” said Lainault’s lawyer Elisabeth Leroux.

Air France said it had played no part in Lainault’s legal case and had not seen the reasoning behind the court’s decision.

“The health and security of our staff is an absolute imperative,” it said. “Every employee has a medical accompaniment that goes well beyond the regulatory minimum.” (BBC)

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Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya and Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne were symbolically presented with awareness badges and wristbands today (22) in support of the initiative to recognize October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, also known as “Pink Month”, to promote awareness of breast cancer.

At this event, organized by the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus at the Parliament complex today, badges and wristbands were also presented to Deputy Chairperson of Committees Hemali Weerasekara, Chief Government Whip Minister Nalinda Jayatissa, Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, and Chief Opposition Whip Gayantha Karunathilaka.

Furthermore, all Members of Parliament were given the opportunity to wear the symbolic badges and wristbands at the Member’s entrance of Parliament in support of raising awareness on breast cancer. Both Members and Parliamentary staff arrived dressed in pink or pink-shaded attire today, in support of this initiative. 

Additionally, in response to a request made by the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus, a special Debate at the Adjournment Time on the importance of breast cancer prevention is scheduled to be held from 4.30 pm to 5.30 pm today in line with global awareness efforts.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide, and according to the medical professionals who spoke during the event, around 15 new patients are diagnosed daily in Sri Lanka, with approximately 3 deaths per day due to the disease. They emphasized that early detection and treatment can lead to full recovery, and highlighted the importance of monthly self-examinations for women over the age of 20.

It was further stressed that responsibility for addressing this social health issue lies not only with women but also with men. Awareness programs have already begun at the school level, and various organizations have initiated programs under the theme “Pink Wednesday”.

In parallel with this Parliamentary programme, the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus has also formally informed the Secretary of the Ministry of Education in writing, requesting that all school principals take steps to raise awareness among students about this issue during the morning assembly in every school. (Newswire)

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All Members of Parliament have been requested to wear pink or pink-shaded attire tomorrow (22),  in commemoration of the “Global Breast Cancer Awareness Month of October”.

Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne informed the MPs in this regard during the Parliament session held today. 

The Speaker also announced that the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus has arranged to distribute a badge to all Members of Parliament at the Members’ Entrance tomorrow. (Newswire)

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Around 15 new breast cancer patients and three related deaths are reported daily in Sri Lanka, health officials revealed.

Speaking at a press briefing on Sept. 24, Dr. Shreeni Alahapperuma, Director of the National Cancer Control Programme, said 19,457 women were diagnosed with cancer in 2022, of whom 5,477 were breast cancer patients, accounting for 28 percent of all female cancer cases.

She noted that while breast cancer is treatable when detected early, nearly 30 percent of cases are identified at advanced stages, making recovery more difficult.

According to official data, 15,245 cancer-related deaths occur annually in Sri Lanka, with 798 attributed to breast cancer.

Dr. Alahapperuma said that a special awareness program will be held on Oct. 11 at Havelock City to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month, featuring exhibitions, medical consultations, and testimonies from survivors.

Joining the briefing, Consultant Community Physician Dr. Hasarali Fernando urged all women over 20 to perform self-breast examinations or undergo clinical checkups. She identified key risk factors, including age over 50, family history, genetic mutations, and prolonged exposure to estrogen.

She added that women aged 20 to 40 should undergo a clinical breast examination once every three years, while those over 40 should have an annual checkup. (Newswire)

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