Overview

Cancer is a major cause of illness in Australia and has a substantial social and economic impact on individuals, families and the community. Findings from the recent Australian Burden of Disease Study showed that cancer as a disease group was the leading cause of burden in Australia in 2018, accounting for 18% of the total disease burden.

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Latest findings

In 2021, an estimated 151,000 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in Australia, an average of 413 cases per day

In 2021, breast cancer is estimated to be the most commonly diagnosed cancer, followed by prostate cancer

In 2021, an estimated 49,000 people will die from cancer in Australia, an average of 135 deaths per day

It is estimated there will be around 165,000 cases of cancer diagnosed in 2023

It is estimated that around 51,000 people will die from cancer in 2023

For 2015–2019, 71% of people diagnosed with cancer survived 5 years after diagnosis

More reports and statistics on cancer can be found under Cancer screening.