Cancer - Australian cancer incidence statistics update, February 2010

Incidence data for 1982 to 2006 now available online

The 'Data Online' section for cancer includes the following:

• Australian Cancer Incidence and Mortality (ACIM) books: incidence numbers and rates from 1982 to 2006, and mortality numbers and rates from 1968 to 2006
• Cancer incidence data cubes: numbers and rates from 1982 to 2005 (2006 data coming soon)

In addition there are the following Excel tables (2006 data coming soon):

• Most frequently occurring cancers, 2005
• Major cancers, age-standardised incidence rates, 1996-2005
• State and Territory 5-year average annual incidence numbers and rates, by sex and cancer type for 2001-2005.

The update in incidence data has been compiled by the AIHW and the Australasian Association of Cancer Registries (AACR). Thanks are extended to all state and territory cancer registries for their assistance in providing and checking the data and tabular output.

Main findings (2006 details coming soon)

In 2005, for the first time, there were over 100,000 new cases of cancer diagnosed in Australia. This number is projected to grow by over 3,000 extra cases per year in 2006-2010. The growth is due mainly to the ageing of Australia's population but there is also projected to be a small increase in the underlying cancer incidence rate.

Males

There were 56,158 new cases of cancer diagnosed in males in 2005. By far the most common was prostate cancer (16,349 cases), which made up over 29% of all diagnoses and had well over double the number of cases of the second most common cancer, colorectal cancer (7,181 cases). The next three most common cancers were melanoma of the skin (6,044 cases), lung cancer (5,738) and lymphoma (2,373). The top five cancers accounted for over 67% of all diagnoses.

Based on 2005 data, the risk for a male of being diagnosed with cancer before age 75 was 1 in 3, and before age 85 was 1 in 2.

Females

There were 44,356 new cases of cancer diagnosed in females in 2005. By far the most common was breast cancer (12,170 cases), which made up over 27% of all diagnoses and had over double the number of cases of the second most common cancer, colorectal cancer (5,895 cases). The next three most common cancers were melanoma of the skin (4,640 cases), lung cancer (3,444) and lymphoma (2,057). The top five cancers accounted for over 63% of all diagnoses.

Based on 2005 data, the risk for a female of being diagnosed with cancer before age 75 was 1 in 4 and before age 85 was 1 in 3.

Persons

There were 100,514 new cases of cancer diagnosed in 2005, the first time this number has reached six figures. The five most common cancers were prostate cancer (16,349 cases), colorectal cancer (13,076), breast cancer (12,265), melanoma of the skin (10,684) and lung cancer (9,182). These five cancers accounted for over 61% of all diagnoses.

Based on 2005 data, the risk of being diagnosed with cancer before age 75 was 1 in 3 and before age 85 was 1 in 2.

The most common cancers for males and females are largely the same, and occur in mostly the same order, except for the sex-specific cancers. For males the only sex-specific cancer to show in the top 10 is prostate cancer and it is by far the most common. In females this role is taken by breast cancer (which can occur in males but is rare). However, females also have two other sex-specific cancers in the top 10, namely uterine cancer and ovarian cancer.

Almost all cancers occur at higher rates in males than females, with an overall male-to-female ratio of 1.4, that is, the male rate is 1.4 times the female rate. The most extreme imbalances in this ratio occur for laryngeal cancer (male-to-female ratio of 9.3), Kaposi sarcoma (7.5), hypopharyngeal cancer (5.5) and mesothelioma (5.2). The only cancers that have consistently higher rates in females are breast cancer (female-to-male ratio of 111), cancer of the peritoneum and retroperitoneum (4.0) and thyroid cancer (3.0).

State and territory annual averages for 2001–2005

• State and territory statistics are provided as 5-year annual averages to reduce statistical variation from fluctuations in numbers from year to year. Differences in age-standardised rates between the states and territories may be explained by variations in underlying cancer risk, the availability and utilisation of diagnostic procedures, reporting and coding inconsistencies, and normal incidence rate fluctuations. The numbers and rates published by the AIHW may differ slightly from those published by state and territory cancer registries. After collating the state and territory files into a national dataset, the AIHW identifies interstate duplicate records and excludes these from national statistics. The source data files used by the AIHW may also be later versions, with additional records, than those used in preparation of the state and territory publications.
• For all cancers combined, excluding non-melanoma skin cancer, the highest age-standardised incidence rate occurred in Queensland (494.4 cases per 100,000 persons), followed by Tasmania (479.4), New South Wales (471.3), Western Australia (466.6), South Australia (457.6), the Australian Capital Territory (453.5), Victoria (448.9) and the Northern Territory (425.4).
• Differences in age-standardised melanoma incidence explain much of the variation. The highest age-standardised incidence rate occurred in Queensland (65.3 cases per 100,000 persons), followed by Western Australia (53.0), New South Wales (47.8), Tasmania (45.5), the Australian Capital Territory (45.2), South Australia (40.0), Victoria (37.4) and the Northern Territory (32.5) (the latter because of low rates in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population).
• On the other hand, the Northern Territory had relatively high rates of lung cancer and gynaecological cancers, while the ACT, which has the highest socioeconomic status population of the jurisdictions, had the highest rate of breast cancer in females.

Further information

Unit Head: Ms Chris Sturrock
Phone: (02) 6244 1140

Contact Officer: Dr Mark Short
Phone: (02) 6244 1063

Email: