Cancer statistics

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Western Australian cancer statistics

Cancer is the second leading cause of death, accounting for 29.2% of all Australian deaths. In 2007, 40,287 Australians died of cancer, that's more than 770 people per week. This is followed by respiratory disease and accidents.

In 2007, there were 9,572 new cases of cancer in Western Australia. More males than females were diagnosed with cancer; 5,545 cases in males or 58% and 4,027cases in females or 42%.

Fact Sheets

• WA Cancer statistics 2007 (pdf 181K)
• WA Bowel cancer statistics 2005 (pdf 155K)
• WA Breast cancer statistics 2005 (pdf 279K)
• WA Prostate cancer statistics 2005 (pdf 155K)
• WA Melanoma statistics 2005 (pdf 161K)

Trends

The number of cancer cases in general, is likely to continue to rise. This is largely due to:

• Population growth
• The ageing of the population
• Improved early detection methods for some cancers.

Skin cancer statistics

• Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Australia. Only melanoma cases have to be reported to the Cancer Registry.
• An estimated 27,000 people are diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancers in WA each year, many with more than one cancer (based on 2002 survey).
• Higher rates of melanoma deaths among men are most likely due to late detection and poorer outcomes from more advanced disease.
• It was hoped melanoma rates had peaked in the mid 1990s however recent years show an increase. Death rates from melanoma are remaining constant at relatively low levels due to early detection.

Bowel (Colorectal) cancer statistics

• Death rates for colorectal cancer have remained fairly stable for both men and women.
  
• Is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in both men and women.

Learn more about bowel cancer.

Lung cancer statistics

• Smoking is the major cause of lung cancer.
• There has been a steady decline in the number of deaths and new cases of lung cancer among men and a continuing increase among women.
• Overall the rates of lung cancer are still higher for men. In general lung cancer has a poor prognosis.
• Current patterns of lung cancer incidence (new cases) reflect smoking behaviour 20 years ago.

Prostate cancer statistics

• Most common cancer for males and the third most common cause of male cancer death, after lung cancer and bowel cancer.

Learn more about prostate cancer.

Breast cancer statistics

• Increased incidence is likely to be due to the increased early detection, (especially through mammographic screening), increased population size and also to an ageing population.
  
• The number of deaths has remained relatively constant over the 1995-2007 period showing better treatment outcome when cancer is found earlier.

Learn more about breast cancer.

Cancer risk statistics

Risk is the chance of developing a disease. This is calculated as the risk, up to age 75 years, of developing cancer. The risk of developing any form of cancer is 1 in 4 women, and 1 in 3 men. The risk for the most common cancers are listed below:

Cancer and age statistics

Generally cancer rates increase with age. Common cancer sites for different age groups are shown below: