Cancer Types and issues
In this section we outline the impact of some common cancers, and provide links to credible sources of further information.
Information about:
In addition to the information we’ve provided here, more information about particular cancers can be obtained through HealthInsite, an Australian Government initiative aiming to improve the health of Australians by providing easy access to quality information about human health. HealthInsite includes links to resources that explain cancer risks, treatment and support services.
Breast Cancer
- There are different types of breast cancer. Most start in the milk ducts and some in the milk sacs. Breast cancer can spread to other parts of the body through the lymph nodes situated in the armpits.
- Generally, over the last 20 years, the rate of incidence of breast cancer in Australian women has been increasing (up by 34%), however the mortality rate has been falling (-21%).
- In 2004, breast cancer was the third most common form of cancer in Australia, with 12 235 new cases (12.4% of all cancer cases). It is the most common cancer affecting Australian women.
- In 2005, breast cancer was the fifth most common cause of cancer death in Australia, with 2736 deaths reported (7% of cancer related deaths).
- It was the most common cause of cancer deaths in females, with 2716 deaths (16% of all female deaths).
- 17 men died from breast cancer in Australia in the same year.
Read more about breast cancer on the HealthInsite website
Cancer of Unknown Primary site
- Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) origin is diagnosed when cancer is found, having spread elsewhere in the body, but the place where the cancer began (the primary site) cannot be determined.
- Generally, over the last 20 years, the rate of incidence of CUP has been declining (-22%), however the mortality rate associated with CUP has been increasing (up by 12%).
- In 2004, CUP was the seventh most common cancer in Australia, with 3292 new cases reported, accounting for 3.3% of new cancers in the Australian population.
- In 2005, CUP was the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths in Australia. There were 3378 deaths attributed to CUP, accounting for 8.7% of all cancer deaths in Australia.
- Treatment for CUP depends on many factors, including where the metastatic cancer is found, microscopic analysis of the cancer tissue, and the person's age and general health.
Central Nervous System Cancers
- Central nervous system (CNS) cancers include brain and other central nervous system cancers including meninges (the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord) and spinal cord.
- Brain cancer caused the majority of CNS deaths, with 611 males and 437 females dying from brain cancer in 2005. Brain cancer was one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in Australian children.
- The incidence and mortality of brain cancer in Australia have remained relatively stable over the last 20 years.
Read more about brain cancer on the HealthInsite website
Digestive System Cancers
Upper gastro-intestinal (GI) cancers include cancers of the oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, liver, gallbladder and pancreas. - Over the last 20 years, pancreatic cancer incidence and mortality rates have remained relatively stable. Incidence and mortality rates associated with oesophageal cancer have increased slightly, however stomach cancer incidence and mortality rates have decreased dramatically (incidence rate decreasing by 36%, mortality rate by 53%).
- The most common upper GI cancers in 2004 were cancers of the:
- Pancreas: 2075 new cases (2.1% of all new cancer cases)
- Stomach: 1946 new cases (2%)
- Oesophagus: 1208 new cases (1.2%).
- The most common upper GI cancers in males were stomach, pancreas and small intestine. In females, the most common were cancers of the pancreas, stomach and oesophagus.
- In 2005, the most common cause of death from an upper GI cancer were cancers located in the:
- Pancreas: 2018 deaths
- Oesophagus: 1147 deaths
- Stomach: 1090 deaths
- Liver: 942 deaths.
Lower gastro-intestinal (GI) cancers include cancers of the colon and rectum (collectively termed colorectal or bowel cancers) and anus. - Over the last 20 years, the incidence rate of colorectal cancer has remained stable, while the mortality rate declined by 38%. Females had a larger reduction in the rate of colorectal cancer mortality than males.
- In 2004, colorectal cancer was the second most common cancer in the Australian population, accounting for 13.2% of all cancers.
- In 2005, colorectal cancer was the second most common form of cancer death in Australia. More than 4100 deaths were attributed to colorectal cancer, accounting for 10.6% of all cancer deaths in Australia.
Read more about digestive system cancers on the HealthInsite website
Read more about bowel cancer on the HealthInsite website
Read more about liver cancer on the HealthInsite website
Read more about stomach cancer on the HealthInsite website
Gynaecological Cancers
- Gynaecological cancers are cancers of the female reproductive system and include cancers of the ovary, cervix, uterus, vulva, vagina and placenta.
- Over the last 20 years, the incidence and mortality rates of cervical cancer in Australian women has decreased by more than 50%. Mortality rates associated with ovarian and uterine cancers has also decreased.
- In 2005 gynaecological cancers were responsible for 1558 female deaths in Australia, accounting for 9.2% of all female cancer deaths. Collectively they are the fifth most common cause of cancer deaths in females.
- The most common cause of death from a gynaecological cancer were cancers of the:
- Ovary: 884 deaths (5.2% of all female cancer deaths)
- Uterus, body: 232 deaths (1.4% of all female cancer deaths)
- Cervix: 216 deaths (1.3% of all female cancer deaths).
Read more about cancer of the uterus on the HealthInsite website
Read more about cervical cancer on the HealthInsite website
Read more about ovarian cancer on the HealthInsite website
Head and Neck Cancers
Most head and neck cancers begin in the cells that line the mucosal surfaces of the head and neck, such as those in the mouth, nose and throat. The particular areas that are most prone to developing cancer include the tongue, mouth, salivary glands, oropharynx, nasopharynx, nasal cavity and larynx. (This category excludes lip and brain tumours). - Generally, the overall incidence and mortality rates associated with head and neck cancers are declining.
- In 2004, there were 2517 new cases of head and neck cancers. Head and neck cancers were the eighth most common cancer in Australia (2.6% of all new cancer cases).
- Males were far more likely to have a head or neck cancer, with 1830 new cases reported, accounting for 3.3% all male cancers, compared to 687 cases in females, 1.6% of female cancers.
- In 2004, the most common forms of head and neck cancers were:
- Larynx (592 cases; 526 male, 66 female)
- Tongue (506 cases; 332 male, 174 female)
- Mouth (435 cases; 254 male, 181 female).
- In 2005, head and neck cancers were responsible for 888 deaths in Australia, accounting for 2.3% of all cancer deaths. There were more deaths in males (677 or 3.1% of all male cancer deaths) than females (211 or 1.2% of all female cancer deaths).
- In 2003, the forms of head and neck cancers that caused the most deaths were:
- Larynx (223 deaths; 196 male, 27 female)
- Tongue (178 deaths; 120 male, 58 female)
- Mouth (116 deaths; 71 males, 45 females)
- Oropharynx (115 deaths; 81 males, 34 females).
Leukaemia
Leukaemia occurs in the bone marrow, where blood cells are made. Abnormal white blood cells multiply rapidly and spill into the blood stream, crowding out healthy cells. There are many forms of leukaemia and these are generally classified broadly as chronic (develops slowly) or acute (develops quickly). - The most common forms of leukaemia are chronic and acute forms of lymphocytic leukaemia and myeloid leukaemia.
- Over the last 20 years, the incidence rate of leukaemia in the Australian population has remained stable, with the mortality rate declining slightly.
- In 2005, leukaemia was responsible for 1414 deaths in Australia, accounting for 3.6% of all cancer deaths. Leukaemia caused 800 male deaths and 614 female deaths.
Read more about leukaemia on the HealthInsite website
Lung Cancer
- There are four main classifications of lung cancer: squamous cell carcinomas, adenocarcinomas, small cell carcinoma and large cell carcinoma. Because the behaviour and management of squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and large cell carcinoma are very similar, they are often grouped together as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in contrast to small cell lung cancer (SCLC), which has a distinct natural history and management.
- Over the last 20 years, lung cancer incidence and mortality rates have decreased slightly. However, this is due to a large decline in lung cancer in males – the incidence rate of lung cancer in Australia females has increased by 50% and the mortality rate by more than 30%.
- In 2004, lung cancer was the fifth most common cancer in Australia, accounting for 9.2% of all new cancer cases.
- In 2005, lung cancer was the leading cause of cancer deaths, responsible for 19.1% of all cancer deaths (7399 deaths).
Read more about lung cancer on the HealthInsite website
Lymphoma
Lymphoma is a general term for a cancer that begins in the lymphatic system. There are many forms of lymphoma; the two main types are Hodgkin’s disease and Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL). Both of these forms involve a malignant growth of cells in the lymph system, however the cells involved in NHL are specifically B- or T-cells of the lymph system. NHL is the most common form of lymphoma. - The lymphoma incidence rate has increased over the last 20 years by 37%, however the mortality rate associated with lymphoma has fallen by 16%.
- In 2004, lymphomas were the sixth most common cancers in Australia, with 4272 new cases reported.
- In 2005, lymphomas were responsible for 1454 deaths, with the majority caused by NHL (1390 deaths compared to 64 deaths from Hodgkin’s disease).
Read more about lymphoma on the HealthInsite website
Prostate Cancer
- Prostate cancer occurs when cells within the prostate grow and divide abnormally and a tumour grows in the prostate. Prostate cancer cells can be very slow growing and not cause any problems or symptoms, and may not become life-threatening. In other cases, the cancer cells can grow more rapidly and may spread to other parts of the body.
- Over the last 20 years, the incidence rate of prostate cancer in Australian males has more than doubled. This is likely to be the result of increased detection through PSA testing. In contrast, the mortality rate has only declined slightly.
- Prostate cancer was the most common cancer in Australia in 2004, accounting for 16% of all new cancer cases.
- In 2005, prostate cancer was the fourth most common cause of cancer death in Australia, accounting for 7.5% of all cancer deaths. There were 2837 deaths from prostate cancer, accounting for 13.5% of cancer deaths in Australian men.
Read more about prostate cancer on the HealthInsite website
Renal and Urinary Tract Cancer
Renal and urinary tract cancers include cancers of the kidney, bladder, urethra, paraurethral gland and renal pelvis. - Over the last 20 years, the incidence and mortality rates for bladder cancer have declined. The incidence rate of kidney cancer has increased substantially, however the mortality rate remains unchanged.
- In 2004, cancers of the kidney and bladder were the ninth and tenth most common cancers in Australia.
- In 2005, there were 905 deaths attributed to bladder cancer and 847 deaths attributed to kidney cancer.
Read more about bladder cancer on the HealthInsite website
Read more about kidney cancer on the HealthInsite website
Skin Cancer
The three most common types of skin cancer are melanoma, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, along with several rare forms of skin cancer, are referred to collectively as non-melanoma skin cancer. - Over the last 20 years, the incidence and mortality rates for melanoma have been increasing.
- In 2004, melanoma was the fourth most common cancer in Australia, accounting for 9.9% of all new cancer cases.
- In 2005, melanoma was the tenth most common form of cancer deaths in Australia, with 1273 deaths.
- About 400 000 cases of non-melanoma skin cancers are diagnosed each year in Australia. It is estimated that more than 400 Australians died from non-melanoma skin cancer in 2005.
Read more about skin cancer on the HealthInsite website
Testicular cancer
Testicular cancer occurs when cells within the testis grow and divide abnormally. - Over the last 20 years, the incidence rate of testicular cancer has increased substantially (up 66%), however the mortality rate has been declining.
- There were 675 new cases of testicular cancer in 2004, accounting for 0.7% of all cancers and 1.2% of cancers in males.
- The lifetime risk of males developing testicular cancer before the age of 75 is 1 in 209.
- 21 males in Australia died of testicular cancer in 2005.