Cancer in Australia
- An estimated 114,000 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in Australia in 2010.
- 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women will be diagnosed with cancer before the age of 85.
- Cancer is a leading cause of death in Australia – more than 43,000 people are expected to die from cancer in 2010.
- Almost 12,000 more people die each year from cancer than 30 years ago, due mainly to population growth and ageing, however the death rate (number of deaths per 100,000 people) has fallen by nearly 15 per cent.
- More than 60% of cancer patients will survive more than five years after diagnosis.
- The survival rate for many common cancers has increased by more than 30 per cent in the past two decades.
- The most common cancers in Australia (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer) are prostate, colorectal (bowel), breast, melanoma and lung cancer.
- Each year, around 434,000 people are treated for non-melanoma skin cancer (the most frequently occurring cancer in Australia, but the least life-threatening).
- Cancer costs $3.8 billion in direct health system costs (7.2%).
- $378 million was spent on cancer research in 2000-01, 22% of all health research expenditure in Australia.
More facts and figures
Also see Cancer types and Skin cancer facts & figures. The most recently published national cancer incidence and mortality figures are in the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report Cancer in Australia: an overview, 2008 (published December 2008). The report can be viewed on the AIHW website.
Media enquiries about cancer facts or statistics should be directed to the Communications team.
References*
1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and Australasian Association of Cancer Registries, Cancer in Australia: an overview, 2008, Canberra, 2008.
2. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and Australasian Association of Cancer Registries, Cancer survival and prevalence in Australia, Canberra, 2008.
4. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Australian Cancer Incidence and Mortality Books, Canberra, 2007.
5. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Non-melanoma skin cancer: general practice consultations, hospitalisation and mortality. Canberra, 2008.
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