Cancer screening

This is the second report from an Australian-first project combining data from BreastScreen Australia, the National Cervical Screening Program and the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program, focusing on breast cancer outcomes and screening behaviour in BreastScreen Australia. It was found that screen-detected breast cancers were less likely to cause death than never-screened breast cancers for all age groups eligible to screen in BreastScreen Australia, with analyses giving new insights into screening behaviour.

Around 55% of women in the targeted age group of 50–74 participated in the BreastScreen Australia in 2015–2016 with more than 1.7 million screening. Breast cancer mortality has decreased since BreastScreen Australia began from 74 deaths per 100,000 women aged 50–74 in 1991 to 44 deaths per 100,000 women in 2015.
 

This report compares mortality outcomes and cancer characteristics for two populations: those invited to screen in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program in 2006–2010, and those of a similar age who were not invited in that time period.
Of the bowel cancer diagnoses, non-invitees had a 13% higher risk of dying from bowel cancer than invitees, and cancers in non-invitees were more likely to be more advanced.

Around 55% of women in the target age group of 20–69 took part in the National Cervical Screening Program in 2015 and 2016, with more than 3.8 million women screening.

Cervical cancer incidence and mortality have both decreased since the National Cervical Screening Program began in 1991—incidence decreased from 17 to 10 new cases per 100,000 women aged 20–69 in 2014 and mortality decreased from 4 to 2 deaths per 100,000 women aged 20–69 in 2015.

This MyHealthyCommunities release report on participation in screening programs can detect early signs of cancer, reducing an individual’s risk and the overall burden of cancer in Australia. Participation rates in national bowel, breast and cervical cancer screening programs are presented by the 31 Primary Health Network areas and for more than 300 smaller local areas (SA2s) across Australia.      

Around 54% of women in the target age group of 50–74 took part in BreastScreen Australia, with more than 1.7 million women screening in 2014–2015.
Breast cancer mortality has decreased since BreastScreen Australia began from 31 deaths per 100,000 women of all ages in 1991 to 20 deaths per 100,000 women of all ages in 2014.

Cancer screening programs aim to reduce illness and death resulting from cancer through an organised approach to screening. These tables present the latest participation data for Australia’s three cancer screening programs: BreastScreen Australia, National Cervical Screening Program and National Bowel Cancer Screening Program.

This report presents statistics on the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) using key performance indicators. Of those who were invited to participate in the NBCSP between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2015, 39% undertook screening. For those screened in 2015, 8% had a positive result warranting further assessment. One in 29 participants who underwent a follow-up diagnostic assessment was diagnosed with a confirmed or suspected cancer.

The National Cervical Screening Program aims to reduce incidence, morbidity and mortality from cervical cancer in Australia. A new National Cervical Screening Program is scheduled to commence on 1 December 2017—this new National Cervical Screening Program data dictionary is a key document that has been developed by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare with the assistance of state and territory cervical screening programs and other cervical screening experts, to support monitoring and reporting by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare for the new National Cervical Screening Program.

The BreastScreen Australia monitoring report 2013–2014 presents the latest national statistics monitoring BreastScreen Australia, which aims to reduce illness and death resulting from breast cancer through organised screening to detect cases of unsuspected breast cancer in women, thus enabling early intervention. Around 54% of women in the target age group of 50–69 took part in the program, with more than 1.4 million women screening in 2013–2014. Breast cancer mortality is at a historic low, at 42 deaths per 100,000 women.

This report presents statistics on the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP). This monitoring report is the first to measure the NBCSP using NBCSP key performance indicators. The goal of the NBCSP is to reduce the morbidity and morality from bowel cancer by activtly recruiting and screening the target population for early detection or prevention of the disease.

Cervical screening in Australia 2013–2014 presents the latest national statistics monitoring the National Cervical Screening Program, which aims to reduce incidence, morbidity and mortality from cervical cancer.

The BreastScreen Australia monitoring report 2012–2013 presents the latest national statistics in the monitoring of BreastScreen Australia, which aims to reduce illness and death resulting from breast cancer through organised screening to detect cases of unsuspected breast cancer in women, thus enabling early intervention.

This report presents statistics on the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program for Australians invited to take part between July 2013 and June 2014. Thirty six per cent (about 510,000) of those who were invited went on to participate in screening, of whom 7.5% (37,700) were found to require further assessment. One out of every 11 assessments detected an advanced adenoma (pre-cancerous lesion), and a bowel cancer was detected in 1 out of every 25 assessments.

Cervical screening in Australia 2012–2013 presents the latest national statistics monitoring the National Cervical Screening Program, which aims to reduce incidence, morbidity and mortality from cervical cancer. Around 58% of women in the target age group of 20–69 took part in the program, with more than 3.8 million women screened in 2012 and 2013. Cervical cancer incidence for women of all ages remains at an historical low of 7 new cases per 100,000 women, and deaths are also low, historically and by international standards, at 2 deaths per 100,000 women.

BreastScreen Australia aims to reduce illness and death resulting from breast cancer through organised screening to detect cases of unsuspected breast cancer in women, thus enabling early intervention. The BreastScreen Australia Data Dictionary is intended to be the authoritative source of data definitions used by BreastScreen Australia to meet the need for national consistency in data collected for program monitoring and evaluation, and for accreditation of BreastScreen Australia services.

This report presents a comparison of the mortality outcomes and cancer characteristics for two populations: those invited to screen in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) in 2006–2008, and those of a similar age who had not been invited to screen in that time period. Of the 2006–2008 bowel cancer diagnoses in these two groups, non-invitees were found to have a 15% higher risk of dying from bowel cancer than NBCSP invitees, and bowel cancers diagnosed in non-invitees were more likely to be at a more-advanced stage. These outcomes demonstrate that the NBCSP is contributing to reducing morbidity and mortality from bowel cancer in Australia.