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 2011, accounting for 19% of the total disease burden.

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

Latest findings

In 2020, breast cancer is estimated to be the most commonly diagnosed cancer, followed by prostate cancer In 2011, over 70% of breast cancer cases and over 80% of prostate cancer cases were diagnosed at Stage I or II Since 2000, lung cancer mortality rates have decreased more than any other cancer Since 2000, colorectal cancer incidence rates have decreased more than any other cancer At the end of 2015, 444,000 people were alive who had been diagnosed with cancer in the previous 5 years In 2020, lung cancer is estimated to be the leading cause of cancer related death, followed by colorectal cancer In 2019, an estimated 136 people will die from cancer each day in Australia, on average In 2019, an estimated 396 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed each day in Australia, on average Breast cancer is estimated to be the most commonly diagnosed cancer in 2019, followed by prostate cancer 145,000 new cancer cases are estimated to be diagnosed in 2020 48,000 deaths from cancer are estimated for 2020 5-year relative survival was 69% for all cancers combined in 2012–2016

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Highlights

144,700new cancer cases are estimated to be diagnosed in 2019—1 new diagnosis every 4 minutes
1 in 4men and 1 in 6 women will die from cancer by the age of 85
49,900people are estimated to die from cancer in 2019—137 deaths every day
Survival rateswere better for cancers diagnosed at an earlier stage
3 in every 10deaths in Australia in 2016 were due to cancer
1 in 2people will be diagnosed by the age of 85
1 in 91 in 9 hospitalisations in 2016–17 were related to cancer
Rare and less commoncancers accounted for 1 in 3 new cancer cases diagnosed and 1 in 2 cancer deaths in 2015.