Cancer in NSW: Incidence and Mortality in 2007
The ‘Cancer in NSW: Incidence and Mortality 2007’ report, launched in December 2009, provides the latest statistics on cancer for NSW. The report is compiled by the NSW Central Cancer Registry (CCR). The NSW Central Cancer Registry is managed and funded by the Cancer Institute NSW under a Memorandum of Understanding with the NSW Department of Health.
A summary of key findings is below, with the full report available online from the link (1):
Cancer in NSW: Incidence and Mortality 2007
Summary of key findings:
New cases
In 2007, there were 36,043 new cases of cancer diagnosed (excluding squamous and basal cell skin cancers that are not included in the report). Males were 1.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than females, with cancer was diagnosed in 20,689 males and 15,354 females in NSW.
Cancer deaths
In 2007, there were 13,227 cancer deaths in NSW representing 29% of all deaths in NSW.
There has been a consistent decline in cancer death (mortality) since 1989 in males and 1988 in females However, the rate of decline has slowed in females in the last 10 years, which is largely attributed to increased diagnosis and death from lung cancer in females. Mortality rates are most influenced by trends in lung cancer deaths in both males and females; followed by breast, prostate and bowel cancer deaths.
The reduction in mortality rates for the majority of cancer sites are a combination of earlier detection, changes in risk factors and treatment improvement. Please refer to the full report for other comments and analysis of trends.
Most common cancers in NSW
- Prostate: 18%
- Bowel: 14%
- Breast: 12%
- Melanoma: 10%
- Lung: 9%
The five most common cancer types account for 63% of all cancer diagnosed in NSW.
Most common causes of cancer death
- Lung: 20%
- Bowel: 13%
- Prostate: 7%
- Breast: 7%
- Cancer of unknown primary site (CUP): 6%
Age at diagnosis
- Age 0-14 years : 0.5% of all cases (172)
- Age 15-29 years: 1.6% of all cases (565)
- Age 30-64 years: 40.5% of all cases (14 605)
- Age 65 years and over: 57.7% of all cases (20 292)
Please bear these percentages and total figures in mind when viewing the most common cancers by age below.
| 0-14 |
15-29 |
30-49 |
50-64 |
65 plus |
all ages |
| Leukaemia |
Melanoma |
Breast |
Prostate |
Prostate |
Prostate |
| Brain |
Testicular |
Melanoma |
Breast |
Bowel |
Bowel |
| NHL |
Hodgkin's disease |
Bowel |
Bowel |
Lung |
Breast |
| Soft Tissue |
Thyroid |
Thyroid |
Melanoma |
Melanoma |
Melanoma |
| Endocrine glands |
Leukaemia |
Lung |
Lung |
Breast |
Lung |
|
NHL= Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma |
Most common causes of cancer death by age in 2007
| 0-49 |
50-64 |
65 plus |
All ages |
| Breast |
Lung |
Lung |
Lung |
| Lung |
Bowel |
Bowel |
Bowel |
| Brain |
Breast |
Prostate |
Prostate |
| Bowel |
Pancreas |
CUP |
Breast |
| Melanoma |
CUP |
Pancreas |
CUP |
|
CUP = Cancer unknown primary site |
Summary of Cancer Survival Trends in 1980-2003
Source: “Survival from cancer in NSW 1980 to 2003” published by the Cancer Institute NSW 2007.
A summary of key findings is below, with the full report available online from the link (2):
Survival from cancer in NSW 1980 to 2003
- Survival from cancer in NSW increased substantially over the 24 year period from 1980 to 2003 and is among the best in the world. The chance of being alive 5 years after a cancer diagnosis in 1980 was 49%, which increased to 63% by 2003.
- Survival more than 5 years was greater than 85% for cancers of the prostate (88%), breast (88%) and melanoma of the skin (90%) and cancer of the lip (91%), thyroid 94%) and testis (96%).
- Survival more than 5 years was 20% or less for cancers of the brain (20%), oesophagus (20%), liver (16%), lung (14%) with the poorest survival for cancer of the pancreas (7%) and mesothelioma (4%).
Please refer to the full report for other comments and analysis of trends.
References:
1. Tracey E, Ling L, Baker D, Dobrovic A, Bishop J Cancer in New South Wales: Incidence and Mortality 2007. Sydney: Cancer Institute NSW, December 2009. (Accessed January 2010)
http://www.incite.cancerinstitute.org.au/articles/NSW_incidence_and_mortality_2007.aspx
2. Tracey E, Barraclough H, Chen W, Baker D, Roder D, Jelfs P, Bishop J. Survival from Cancer in NSW: 1980 to 2003. Sydney: Cancer Institute NSW, August 2007. Published by the Cancer Institute NSW, October 2007 New South Wales Department of Health, October 2007. (Accessed January 2010) http://www.cancerinstitute.org.au/cancer_inst/publications/pdfs/em-2007-01_survival_from_cancer_in_NSW.pdf
Last Updated 26th January 2010
