Cancer

Normally cells grow and multiply in a controlled way, however, if something causes a mistake to occur in the cells’ genetic blueprints, this control can be lost.

Cancer is the term used to describe collections of these cells, growing and potentially spreading within the body. As cancerous cells can arise from almost any type of tissue cell, cancer actually refers to about 100 different diseases.

Cancer cells that do not spread beyond the immediate area in which they arise are said to be benign ie. they are not dangerous. If these cells spread into surrounding areas, or to different parts of the body, they are known as malignant – commonly referred to as cancer.

Cancer affects a large number of Australians, both directly and indirectly.

• An estimated 128,000 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in Australia this year, with that number set to rise to 150,000 by 2020.
• 1 in 2 Australian men and 1 in 3 Australian women will be diagnosed with cancer by the age of 85.
• Cancer is a leading cause of death in Australia – more than 43,200 people died from cancer in 2011. Cancer accounted for about 3 in 10 deaths in Australia.
• Around 19,000 more people die each year from cancer than 30 years ago, this is due mainly to population growth and aging.  However, the death rate (number of deaths per 100,000 people) has fallen by more than 16%.
• 66% of people diagnosed with cancer in Australia are still alive five years after diagnosis.
• The survival rate for many common cancers has increased by 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. These five cancers account for over 60% of all cancers diagnosed in Australia
• Over 434,000 people are treated for one or more non-melanoma skin cancers each year, with 543 people dying in 2011.