Liver cancer is the fastest increasing cause of cancer death in Australians.
In 2021, an estimated 49,000 people will die from cancer in Australia, an average of 135 deaths per day. In 2021, lung cancer is expected to be responsible for more deaths than any other cancer, followed by colorectal cancer.
Today, almost seven in 10 Australians will survive for at least five years after a cancer diagnosis and in some cancers the survival is as high as 90%. The most common cancers in Australia (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer) are prostate, breast, colorectal (bowel), melanoma and lung cancer.
Lung and bronchus cancer is responsible for the most deaths with 127,070 people expected to die from this disease. That is nearly three times the 52,550 deaths due to colorectal cancer, which is the second most common cause of cancer death.
Although there are no curable cancers, melanoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, and breast, prostate, testicular, cervical, and thyroid cancer have some of the highest 5-year relative survival rates. Cancer is a disease that causes cells to grow and multiply uncontrollably in certain parts of the body.
Brain and pancreatic cancers have much lower median survival rates which have not improved as dramatically over the last forty years. Indeed, pancreatic cancer has one of the worst survival rates of all cancers. Small cell lung cancer has a five-year survival rate of 4% according to Cancer Centers of America's Website.
The LSCT was set up by a group of charities all aiming to double survival rates of the six less survivable cancers by 2029. These are stomach, oesophageal, pancreatic, liver, brain & lung cancer, with an average five-year survival rate of just 16%.
The problem with Australia is that the continent receives higher UV radiation levels than Europe. “Being located close to the ozone hole over the Antarctic means that much higher, more severe levels of UV radiation get through to ground level,” says Dr Hasanien.
Cancer deaths by age
Almost half – 46% in 2017 – of all people who die from cancer are 70 or older. Another 41 percent are between 50 and 69 years old – so that 87% of all cancer victims are older than 50 years.
A similar pattern is seen for many common cancer types. For example, the median age at diagnosis is 62 years for breast cancer, 67 years for colorectal cancer, 71 years for lung cancer, and 66 years for prostate cancer. But cancer can be diagnosed at any age.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in Australian women – about 19,800 women are diagnosed each year.
Which Type of Cancer Spreads the Fastest? The fastest-moving cancers are pancreatic, brain, esophageal, liver, and skin. Pancreatic cancer is one of the most dangerous types of cancer because it's fast-moving and there's no method of early detection.
Bone cancer is one of the most painful cancers. Factors that drive bone cancer pain evolve and change with disease progression, according to Patrick Mantyh, PhD, symposium speaker and professor of pharmacology, University of Arizona.
Silent cancers include breast cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, ovarian cancer and lung cancer. Screening is an essential tool for preventing and early diagnosis of such cancers. It helps in reducing the mortality rate and enhancing the survival rate.
There are no cures for any kinds of cancer, but there are treatments that may cure you. Many people are treated for cancer, live out the rest of their life, and die of other causes. Many others are treated for cancer and still die from it, although treatment may give them more time: even years or decades.
There are a few types of cancer that are more likely to be considered chronic, including certain ovarian cancers, leukemias and lymphomas. Also, some types of cancer that have spread to other parts of the body (metastasized), including certain types of metastatic breast and prostate cancer, are considered chronic.
Cancer that cannot be cured and leads to death. Also called end-stage cancer.
A favorable prognosis means a good chance of treatment success. For example, the overall 5-year relative survival rate for testicular cancer is 95%.
Thyroid cancer: At stage 1 and 2, the five-year survival is 98–100%. Melanoma: At stage 1, the five-year survival is about 99%. Cervical cancer: The five-year relative survival rate for all localized stages is 92%. Hodgkin lymphoma: The five-year relative survival rate of about 92-95 % for stage 1 and 2.