Appendix B: Classifications
Age
The data in this report are stratified by the age of the individual at the time of the specified test (for screening data), at the time of diagnosis (for cancer incidence data) or at the time of death (for cancer mortality data).
State or territory
The state or territory reported is the one where screening took place (for the screening data), where the diagnosis was made (for the cancer incidence data), or the place of usual residence (for the cancer mortality data).
Remoteness area
Remoteness areas divide Australia into broad geographical regions that share common characteristics of remoteness for statistical purposes. The remoteness structure divides each state and territory into several regions on the basis of their relative access to services. There are 6 classes of remoteness area: Major cities, Inner regional, Outer regional, Remote, Very remote, and Migratory. The category Major cities includes Australia’s capital cities, except for Hobart and Darwin, which are classified as Inner regional. Remoteness areas are based on the Accessibility and Remoteness Index of Australia, produced by the Australian Population and Migration Research Centre at the University of Adelaide.
Remoteness area for screening data
Participants were allocated to a remoteness area using their Statistical Area Level 2 where available, or postcode where Statistical Area Level 2 was not available according to the 2021 Australian Statistical Geography Standard. As some Statistical Area Level 2 areas and postcodes can span different Remoteness areas, a weighting for each Remoteness area was attributed to the Statistical Area Level 2 or postcode in such cases. This can result in non-integer counts for remoteness classifications.
Remoteness area for incidence and mortality
Each unit record in the ACD contains 2011 Statistical Area Level 2 and 2016 Statistical Area Level 2, but not the Remoteness Area. To calculate cancer incidence by Remoteness Area, a correspondence was used to map the 2011 Statistical Area Level 2 to the 2011 Remoteness Area. The 2011 Statistical Area Level 2 classification was used for cancer cases as data were more complete using that than the 2016 Statistical Area Level 2 classification within the 2021 ACD. Cancer mortality rates by Remoteness Area were based on 2016 Remoteness Area classifications.
Tables in this report based on geographical location were rounded to integer values. Where figures were rounded, discrepancies may occur between totals and sums of the component items.
Socioeconomic area
The Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage (one of four Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas developed by the ABS) is based on factors such as average household income, education levels and unemployment rates. It is not a person-based measure but an area‑based measure of socioeconomic disadvantage in which small areas of Australia are classified on a continuum from disadvantaged to affluent. This information is used as a proxy for the socioeconomic disadvantage of participants living in those areas and may not be correct for each person in that area.
In this report, the first socioeconomic area (quintile 1) corresponds to geographical areas containing the 20% of the population with the greatest socioeconomic disadvantage according to the Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage (that is, the lowest socioeconomic area), and the fifth area (quintile 5) corresponds to the 20% of the population with the least socioeconomic disadvantage (that is, the highest socioeconomic area).
Socioeconomic area for screening data
Participants were allocated to a remoteness area using their Statistical Area Level 2 where available, or postcode where Statistical Area Level 2 was not available according to the IRSD for 2021. Socioeconomic groupings (based on IRSD rankings) were calculated with a Statistical Area Level 2 correspondence, using a population‑based method at the Australia‑wide level.
Socioeconomic area for incidence and mortality
Socioeconomic disadvantage areas were assigned to cancer cases according to the IRSD for 2011 of the Statistical Area Level 2 of residence at the time of diagnosis, and to deaths according to the 2016 Statistical Area Level 2 of residence at the time of death. The 2011 IRSD classifications were used for cancer cases as data were more complete using the 2011 Statistical Area Level 2 than the 2016 Statistical Area Level 2 within the 2021 ACD.
International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems
The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) is used to classify diseases and other health problems (including symptoms and injuries) in clinical and administrative records. The use of a standard classification system enables the storage and retrieval of diagnostic information for clinical and epidemiological purposes that is comparable between different service providers, across countries and over time.
In 1903, Australia adopted the ICD to classify causes of death and it was fully phased in by 1906. Since 1906, the ICD has been revised 9 times in recognition of new diseases (for example, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, or AIDS), increased knowledge of diseases, and changing terminology in describing diseases. The version currently in use, the ICD‑10 (WHO 1992), was endorsed by the 43rd World Health Assembly in May 1990 and officially came into use in World Health Organization member states from 1994.
International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Australian Modification
The Australian modification of the ICD-10, referred to as the ICD-10-AM (NCCH 2010), is based on the ICD-10. The ICD-10 was modified for the Australian setting by the National Centre for Classification in Health, with assistance from clinicians and clinical coders. Despite the modifications, compatibility with the ICD-10 at the higher levels of the classification (that is, up to 4-character codes) has been maintained. The ICD-10-AM has been used to classify diagnoses in hospital records in all states and territories since 1999–2000 (AIHW 2000).
Classification of invasive breast cancer
I.D. | Cancer group/name | Histology code/s |
|---|---|---|
n.a. | Breast cancer | n.a. |
B1.01 | Carcinomas | 8010, 8012, 8013, 8020–8022, 8032, 8033, 8035, 8041, 8045, 8046, 8050, 8070–8072, 8074, 8082, 8140, 8141, 8143, 8147, 8154, 8200, 8201, 8211, 8230, 8240, 8246, 8249, 8255, 8260, 8290, 8310, 8314, 8315, 8320, 8323, 8401, 8410, 8430, 8480, 8481, 8490, 8500–8504, 8507–8510, 8512–8514, 8519–8524, 8530, 8540, 8541, 8543, 8550, 8560, 8562, 8570–8575, 8941, 8980, 8982, 8983 |
B1.01.01 | Ductal carcinomas | 8022, 8032, 8033, 8035, 8070–8072, 8074, 8082, 8140, 8141, 8143, 8147, 8201, 8211, 8230, 8255, 8290, 8310, 8314, 8315, 8320, 8323, 8401, 8410, 8480, 8481, 8490, 8500, 8501, 8507, 8508, 8510, 8512–8514, 8521–8523, 8530, 8540, 8541, 8543, 8560, |
B1.01.01.01 | Pleomorphic carcinoma | 8022 |
B1.01.01.02 | Lymphoepithelial carcinoma | 8082 |
B1.01.01.03 | Adenocarcinoma, NOS | 8140 |
B1.01.01.04 | Scirrhous adenocarcinoma [obs] | 8141 |
B1.01.01.05 | Superficial spreading adenocarcinoma | 8143 |
B1.01.01.06 | Basal cell adenocarcinoma | 8147 |
B1.01.01.07 | Cribriform carcinoma, NOS | 8201 |
B1.01.01.08 | Tubular adenocarcinoma | 8211 |
B1.01.01.09 | Solid carcinoma, NOS | 8230 |
B1.01.01.10 | Adenocarcinoma with mixed subtypes | 8255 |
B1.01.01.11 | Oncocytic carcinoma | 8290 |
B1.01.01.12 | Clear cell adenocarcinoma, NOS | 8310 |
B1.01.01.13 | Lipid-rich carcinoma | 8314 |
B1.01.01.14 | Glycogen-rich carcinoma | 8315 |
B1.01.01.15 | Granular cell carcinoma | 8320 |
B1.01.01.16 | Mixed cell adenocarcinoma | 8323 |
B1.01.01.17 | Apocrine adenocarcinoma | 8401 |
B1.01.01.18 | Sebaceous carcinoma | 8410 |
B1.01.01.19 | Mucinous adenocarcinoma, NOS | 8480 |
B1.01.01.20 | Mucin-producing adenocarcinoma | 8481 |
B1.01.01.21 | Signet ring cell carcinoma | 8490 |
B1.01.01.22 | Infiltrating duct carcinoma, NOS | 8500 |
B1.01.01.23 | Comedocarcinoma, NOS | 8501 |
B1.01.01.24 | Invasive micropapillary carcinoma of breast | 8507 |
B1.01.01.25 | Cystic hypersecretory carcinoma [obs] | 8508 |
B1.01.01.26 | Medullary carcinoma, NOS | 8510 |
B1.01.01.27 | Medullary carcinoma with lymphoid stroma [obs] | 8512 |
B1.01.01.28 | Atypical medullary carcinoma | 8513 |
B1.01.01.29 | Duct carcinoma, desmoplastic type | 8514 |
B1.01.01.30 | Infiltrating ductular carcinoma | 8521 |
B1.01.01.31 | Infiltrating duct and lobular carcinoma | 8522 |
B1.01.01.32 | Infiltrating duct mixed with other types of carcinoma | 8523 |
B1.01.01.33 | Inflammatory carcinoma | 8530 |
B1.01.01.34 | Paget disease, mammary | 8540 |
B1.01.01.35 | Paget disease and infiltrating duct carcinoma of breast | 8541 |
B1.01.01.36 | Paget disease and intraductal carcinoma of breast | 8543 |
B1.01.01.37 | Adenocarcinoma with squamous metaplasia | 8570 |
B1.01.01.38 | Adenocarcinoma with cartilaginous and osseous metaplasia | 8571 |
B1.01.01.39 | Adenocarcinoma with spindle cell metaplasia | 8572 |
B1.01.01.40 | Adenocarcinoma with apocrine metaplasia | 8573 |
B1.01.01.41 | Adenocarcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation | 8574 |
B1.01.01.42 | Metaplastic carcinomas | 8032, 8033, 8035, 8070–8072, 8074, 8560, 8575, 8980 |
B1.01.01.42.01 | Spindle cell carcinoma, NOS | 8032 |
B1.01.01.42.02 | Pseudosarcomatous carcinoma | 8033 |
B1.01.01.42.03 | Carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells | 8035 |
B1.01.01.42.04 | Squamous cell carcinoma | 8070 |
B1.01.01.42.05 | Squamous cell carcinoma, keratinising, NOS | 8071 |
B1.01.01.42.06 | Squamous cell carcinoma, large cell, nonkeratinising, NOS | 8072 |
B1.01.01.42.07 | Squamous cell carcinoma, spindle cell | 8074 |
B1.01.01.42.08 | Adenosquamous carcinoma | 8560 |
B1.01.01.42.09 | Metaplastic carcinoma, NOS | 8575 |
B1.01.01.42.10 | Carcinosarcoma, NOS | 8980 |
B1.01.02 | Lobular carcinomas | 8519, 8520, 8524 |
B1.01.02.01 | Lobular carcinoma, pleomorphic | 8519 |
B1.01.02.02 | Lobular carcinoma, NOS | 8520 |
B1.01.02.03 | Infiltrating lobular mixed with other types of carcinoma | 8524 |
B1.01.03 | Papillary carcinomas | 8050, 8260, 8503, 8504, 8509 |
B1.01.03.01 | Papillary carcinoma, NOS | 8050 |
B1.01.03.02 | Papillary adenocarcinoma | 8260 |
B1.01.03.03 | Intraductal papillary adenocarcinoma with invasion | 8503 |
B1.01.03.04 | Encapsulated papillary carcinoma with invasion | 8504 |
B1.01.03.05 | Solid papillary carcinoma with invasion | 8509 |
B1.01.04 | Salivary gland-type carcinomas | 8200, 8430, 8502, 8550 |
B1.01.04.01 | Adenoid cystic carcinoma | 8200 |
B1.01.04.02 | Mucoepidermoid carcinoma | 8430 |
B1.01.04.03 | Secretory carcinoma | 8502 |
B1.01.04.04 | Acinar cell carcinoma | 8550 |
B1.01.05 | Neuroendocrine neoplasms | 8013, 8041, 8045, 8154, 8240, 8246, 8249 |
B1.01.05.01 | Neuroendocrine tumours | 8240, 8249 |
B1.01.05.01.01 | Neuroendocrine tumour, grade 1 or NOS | 8240 |
B1.01.05.01.02 | Neuroendocrine tumour, grade 2 | 8249 |
B1.01.05.02 | Neuroendocrine carcinomas | 8013, 8041, 8246 |
B1.01.05.02.03 | Neuroendocrine carcinoma, NOS | 8246 |
B1.01.05.02.01 | Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma | 8013 |
B1.01.05.02.02 | Small cell carcinoma | 8041 |
B1.01.05.03 | Mixed neuroendocrine and non-neuroendocrine neoplasms | 8045, 8154 |
B1.01.05.03.01 | Combined small cell carcinoma | 8045 |
B1.01.05.03.02 | Mixed neuroendocrine non-neuroendocrine neoplasm | 8154 |
B1.01.06 | Epithelial-myoepithelial carcinomas | 8562, 8941, 8982, 8983 |
B1.01.06.01 | Epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma | 8562 |
B1.01.06.02 | Carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma | 8941 |
B1.01.06.03 | Myoepithelial carcinoma | 8982 |
B1.01.06.04 | Adenomyoepithelioma with carcinoma | 8983 |
B1.01.07 | Unclassifiable carcinomas | 8010, 8012, 8020, 8021, 8046 |
B1.01.07.01 | Carcinoma, NOS | 8010 |
B1.01.07.02 | Large cell carcinoma, NOS | 8012 |
B1.01.07.03 | Carcinoma, undifferentiated, NOS | 8020 |
B1.01.07.04 | Carcinoma, anaplastic, NOS | 8021 |
B1.01.07.05 | Non-small cell carcinoma | 8046 |
B1.02 | Sarcomas | 8800–8802, 8805, 8810, 8811, 8815, 8825, 8830, 8850–8852, 8854, 8890, 8894, 8895, 8900, 8912, 8935, 9040, 9120, 9170, 9180, 9364, 9540, 9580 |
B1.02.01 | Liposarcomas | 8850–8852, 8854 |
B1.02.01.01 | Liposarcoma, NOS | 8850 |
B1.02.01.02 | Liposarcoma, well differentiated, NOS | 8851 |
B1.02.01.03 | Myxoid liposarcoma | 8852 |
B1.02.01.04 | Pleomorphic liposarcoma | 8854 |
B1.02.02 | Fibroblastic and myofibroblastic sarcomas | 8810, 8811, 8815, 8825 |
B1.02.02.01 | Fibrosarcoma, NOS | 8810 |
B1.02.02.02 | Myxofibrosarcoma | 8811 |
B1.02.02.03 | Solitary fibrous tumour, malignant | 8815 |
B1.02.02.04 | Myofibroblastic sarcoma | 8825 |
B1.02.03 | Vascular sarcomas | 9120, 9170 |
B1.02.03.01 | Haemangiosarcoma | 9120 |
B1.02.03.02 | Lymphangiosarcoma | 9170 |
B1.02.04 | Smooth muscle sarcomas | 8890, 8894, 8895 |
B1.02.04.01 | Leiomyosarcoma, NOS | 8890 |
B1.02.04.02 | Angiomyosarcoma | 8894 |
B1.02.04.03 | Myosarcoma | 8895 |
B1.02.05 | Skeletal muscle sarcomas | 8900, 8912 |
B1.02.05.01 | Rhabdomyosarcoma, NOS | 8900 |
B1.02.05.02 | Spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma | 8912 |
B1.02.06 | Stromal sarcomas | 8935 |
B1.02.06.01 | Stromal sarcoma, NOS | 8935 |
B1.02.07 | Bone and cartilage type sarcomas | 9180 |
B1.02.07.01 | Extraskeletal osteosarcoma | 9180 |
B1.02.08 | Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours | 9540, 9580 |
B1.02.08.01 | Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour, NOS | 9540 |
B1.02.08.02 | Granular cell tumour, malignant | 9580 |
B1.02.09 | Undifferentiated small round cell sarcomas of soft tissue | 9364 |
B1.02.09.01 | Ewing sarcoma | 9364 |
B1.02.10 | Sarcomas of uncertain differentiation | 8830, 9040 |
B1.02.10.01 | Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma | 8830 |
B1.02.10.02 | Synovial sarcoma, NOS | 9040 |
B1.02.11 | Unclassifiable sarcomas | 8800–8802, 8805 |
B1.02.11.01 | Sarcoma, NOS | 8800 |
B1.02.11.02 | Spindle cell sarcoma | 8801 |
B1.02.11.03 | Giant cell sarcoma | 8802 |
B1.02.11.04 | Undifferentiated sarcoma | 8805 |
B1.03 | Other breast cancers | 8940, 9020 |
B1.03.01 | Mixed tumour, malignant, NOS | 8940 |
B1.03.02 | Phyllodes tumour, malignant | 9020 |
B1.04 | Unclassifiable breast cancers | 8000, 8001, 8004 |
B1.04.01 | Neoplasm, malignant | 8000 |
B1.04.02 | Tumour cells, malignant | 8001 |
B1.04.03 | Malignant tumour, spindle cell type | 8004 |
Source: Cancer data in Australia (AIHW 2024b) Data tables: CDIA 2024: Book 10j – Cancer by histology framework.