Approximately 78,000 new cases of cancer are diagnosed each year
and it is expected that on average one in three men and one in four
women will develop cancer before the age of 75, according to an
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) report, released
today in Melbourne at the Clinical Oncological Society of
Australia's (COSA) Annual Scientific Meeting.
The report, Cancer in Australia 1996, is based on data
collected by the State and Territory Cancer Registries. It reveals
that cancers currently account for 28% of deaths in men and 25% in
women and are the second major cause of death after circulatory
diseases. The report estimates that nearly 261,000 potential years
of life are lost as a result of people dying of cancer before 75
years of age which is twice that of circulatory diseases.
Head of the AIHW's Disease Registers Unit, Dr Paul Jelfs, said
that lung cancer was a major contributor to premature death in
Australia and one which was preventable. 'It is the leading cause
of cancer death for Australians', Dr Jelfs said. 'The continued
decline in lung cancer incidence rates in men is good news.
However, the increases in women are disappointing, and at an
individual level, tragic.'
'Australia's melanoma rates are among the highest in the world
and continue to climb at the national level, but there are some
early indications this trend is turning around.
'This is a timely reminder that people should take care to
protect themselves from the sun's damaging UV radiation which puts
us at a higher risk of this and other types of skin cancer. We
Australians all need to be aware of the slip slop slap message,
especially through the summer'.
Cancer in Australia 1996 shows that the most common
cancers in men are cancers of the prostate (10,055), bowel (6,067)
and lung (5,228). In women the most common cancers are breast
cancer (9,621), bowel cancer (4,931) and melanoma (3,448). The risk
of cancer increases with age with almost 60% of cancer diagnosed
after the age of 65.
Other findings from Cancer in Australia 1996
include:
- Breast cancer incidence rates in 1997 continued their increase
at around 2.2% per year. Some of this increase can be attributed to
earlier detection of breast cancers through the breast screening
program. One in 12 women are at risk of being diagnosed with breast
cancer before age 75.
- Prostate cancer rates continued their fall from a peak in 1994.
This fall coincides with a reduction in the use of prostate
specific antigen (PSA) tests. Approximately one third of these
cancers occur in men over age 75. Death rates remain stable.
24 November 1999
Note: Dr Jelfs will present the report's
findings at the COSA Conference at 3.30pm, Wednesday 24 November,
in Cooryong 3 Room, Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre,
Corner of Flinders & Clarendon Streets, Melbourne. All media
are invited to attend.
Further information: Dr Paul Jelfs, AIHW, ph.
04 0792 8523 (mobile).
Media contact: Michelle Wells, AIHW, ph. 02 6244
1012; or Anne Learmonth, COSA, ph. 03 9635 5191 or 03 9235 8623 (on
24 November 1999).
For media copies of the report: Publications Officer, ph.
02 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for details.