New data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has revealed the number of cancer cases diagnosed each year in Australia has increased by more than 90 per cent in the past two decades.
While those numbers are certainly cause for concern, they are broadly in line with population growth during that time, as well as an ageing population overall. However, there has been a noticeable increase in the cancer rate.
It’s estimated that cancer will be responsible for around three out of every 10 deaths in Australia in 2024. The proportion of deaths from cancer varies considerably by age, and the AIHW estimates cancer is responsible for around 45 per cent of deaths of people aged 60 to 69 and 88 per cent of cancers diagnosed will occur in people aged 50 or more.
The AIHW estimates 52,700 people will die from cancer in 2024.
What did the data show?
The data shows there were around 88,000 cases of cancer diagnosed in Australia in 2000 and estimates the number in 2024 at around 169,000 cases – a 93 per cent jump.
The AIHW says about 86 per cent of this increased number can be attributed to population increase, as well as the fact that a larger proportion of people are reaching older age than 24 years ago.
But that extra seven per cent, is a genuine increase in the rate at which cancer is being diagnosed. The age-adjusted cancer incidence rate increased from 582 cases per 100,000 people in 2000 to an estimated 624 cases per 100,000 people in 2024.
If cancer rates keep increasing by that amount, it’s expected the number of cancer cases being diagnosed is expected to top 200,000 by 2034.
There was some good news though. The cancer mortality rate declined from 582 deaths per 100,000 cases in 2000 to and estimated 194 in 2024, reflecting advancements made in cancer treatments.
Between 2016 and 2020, 71.2 per cent of all people diagnosed with cancer survived five years after receiving their diagnosis.
Males more at risk than females
Males are both more likely to be diagnosed with cancer and to die from it, but the difference between genders is decreasing.
Between 2000 and 2024, the cancer incidence rate went from 713 per 100,000 for males versus 487 per 100,000 for females; to 729 cases for males versus 534 for females.
The data showed a similar drop in the discrepancy between genders in cancer mortality as well. In 2000, the cancer mortality rate for males was 339 deaths per 100,000 and by 2024, had dropped to 240. Mortality rates for females went from 196 deaths per 100,000 in 2000, to 157 in 2024.
Prostate cancer was the most common type of cancer for males – and for the Australian population overall. The AIHW estimates there will be 26,400 prostate cancer cases diagnosed in 2024.
For the ladies, breast cancer was the most commonly diagnosed cancer type. The data shows there will be around 21,000 breast cancer cases diagnosed in females in 2024.
This represents around 28 per cent of the estimated cancers diagnosed in females overall. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer for any person aged 40 to 59 and the second most common for anyone aged 20 to 39 or 60 to 79.
Five-year survival rates for breast cancer improved from 79 per cent in 1991–1995 to 92 per cent in 2016–2020.
How has cancer impacted your life? Do you think we’ll ever find a complete cure? Let us know in the comments section below.
Also read: If I’m diagnosed with one cancer, am I likely to get another?
You covered up the increase in cancer cases well, they have skyrocketed mainly in the last 2yrs, and there has been a slow increase in the previous 20 years, BOS figures.
Totally agree roccy. And the last two years – what happened then?? think about it.