Cancer is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the ACT and is recognised as a major contributor to the total burden of disease in Australia.
Cancer in the ACT, Incidence and Mortality 2009 is the sixth report of the ACT Cancer Registry. It provides an epidemiological review of cancer cases recorded in the ACT Cancer Registry over the period January 2002 to December 2006. In addition, the report provides an overview of trends of cancer incidence and mortality from 1985 to 2006. Cancer survival is reported in a separate publication.
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Incidence
During 2002-06, there were 6266 new cases of cancer diagnosed in residents of the ACT (average of 1253 new cases per year). Fifty-three per cent of these were diagnosed in males and 47 per cent were diagnosed in females. The overall crude rate was 406.3 per 100,000 population for males and 358.4 per 100,000 for females.
The most common cancers in males were prostate cancer, followed by colorectal cancer, melanoma of skin and lung cancer. The risk of a male being diagnosed with cancer before the age of 75 years was 1 in 3.
The most common cancers in females were female breast cancer, followed by colorectal cancer, melanoma of skin, and lung cancer. The risk of a female being diagnosed with cancer before the age of 75 years was 1 in 4.
Mortality
During 2002-06, 2018 ACT residents died of cancer (Table 3): 52 per cent of these deaths were in males and 48 per cent were in females. The overall crude mortality rate was 133.2 per 100,000 population for males and 113.2 per 100,000 population for females.
The most common cause of cancer related deaths in males was lung cancer (18.2% of all deaths), followed by colorectal cancer (14.9%), and prostate cancer (13.5%). The risk of a male dying from cancer before the age of 75 years was 1 in 9.
The most common cause of cancer related death in females was breast cancer (18.6% of all deaths), followed by colorectal cancer (13.5%), and lung cancer (12.6%). The risk of a female dying from cancer before the age of 75 years was 1 in 12.
Time trends
Although the number of new cancer cases and cancer deaths occurring each year has risen since 1985, age standardised incidence and mortality rates have remained relatively stable. This indicates that there were changes in the age structure of the population in the ACT over time rather than changes in the risk of cancer for any particular age group.
Over the period 1985 to 2006 there was an increase in the age standardised incidence rates of breast cancer in females, prostate cancer and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in males. In the same period, there was a decrease in the age standardised incidence rate of lung cancer in males and cervical cancer in females.
Age standardised mortality rates for most cancers did not show a statistically significant change over time. However, there was an increase in the age standardised mortality rate of uterine cancer and a decrease in the age standardised mortality rate of both colorectal and lung cancer in males.
Prevalence
At the end of 2005, there was a total of 2311 males and 2242 females living in the ACT who had a diagnosis of cancer within the previous five years.
Prostate and female breast cancers were the most prevalent types of cancers in the ACT.
Other publications available
In this section:
- Aborigines and Torres Strait Islander People in the ACT 1998
- Asthma Epidimology ACT 1996
- Breast Cancer in the ACT 2003
- Cancer in the ACT 1994-1998
- Cancer in the ACT 1998-2004
- Cancer in the ACT Survival estimates 1995-2004
- Causes of Death ACT 1998
- Colorectal Cancer in the ACT 2004-2008
- Diabetes Mellitus Epidimiology ACT 1996
- Disability Ageing and Carers ACT 1998
- Drug related health in the ACT 1999
- Epidemiology publications - Monograph Series
- Health risk factors ACT 1998
- Health Snapshots by Subdivisions ACT 2000
- Health status of ACT residents 1995
- Health Status of Males in the ACT 1998
- Health Status of the ACT by subdivisions 1998
- Health status of young people ACT 1998
- Injury Epidemiology ACT 1996
- Mental Health & Wellbeing of Adults National Survey 1997
- National Health Survey SF-36 1995
- Preventing injury in older people ACT 2003
- Secondary School Survey ACT 1996
- Secondary Students Drug and Health Risk Survey ACT 2005
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People in the ACT 2006 - 2011
- Vaccine preventable diseases ACT 1993-1997
- Year 6 Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey ACT 2009
- Alcohol and Tobacco Use by Secondary School Students in the ACT 1996-2002
- Asthma in the ACT 1998
- Cancer in the ACT 1983-1992
- Cancer in the ACT 1996-2000
- Cancer in the ACT Incidence and Mortality 2011
- Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology ACT 1997
- Child Deaths Review ACT 1992-2003
- Communicable Diseases in the ACT - 1993-1997
- Diabetes Mellitus in the ACT 1999
- Disability and Ageing in the ACT 1997
- Epidemiology Publications
- Health Related Quality of Life ACT 1994-1997
- Health Snapshots by Sub Division 2009
- Health status in the ACT 1998
- Health Status of Females ACT 1998
- Health Status of Older People in the ACT 1999
- Health Status of Women in the ACT 2008
- Illict drug samples seized ACT 1980-1987
- Inmate Health Survey 2010 Summary results
- Mental Health in the ACT 1997
- Physical activity patterns, ACT adults 2000
- Quality of Life in the ACT 1994-95
- Secondary Student Alcohol and Drug Survey Results ACT 2002
- Sustainable Healthy Development Forum ACT 2006
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health ACT 2000-2004
- Year 6 Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey ACT 2006
