06 January 2025
Australia has the highest rates of cancer in the world and health experts are urging people, particularly those in high-risk age groups, to kick off 2025 with a proactive approach to their well-being with a preventive cancer check.
Prostate cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the country, followed by breast cancer, colorectal (bowel), melanoma and lung cancer with these five cancers accounting for about 60 per cent of all cancers diagnosed.
Projections by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare suggest that by 2034 the number of cancer cases diagnosed each year could surpass 200,000, with males more likely to be diagnosed than females, accounting for 729 cases in every 100,000 males today, compared to 534 cases per 100,000 females.
This January, Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA) is urging all Australians to know their risk and family history of cancer and see a GP for a preventative cancer check-up.
PCFA Chief Executive Anne Savage said when cancers are diagnosed in their earliest stage, survival rates improve significantly.
“The toll prostate cancer takes on the lives of everyday Australians is tremendous, with one man newly diagnosed every twenty minutes,” Ms Savage said.
“It’s estimated more than 3,900 Australian men died from prostate cancer in 2024, which is an unacceptable price to pay for a disease that is eminently treatable if detected early.
“If we don’t detect prostate cancer until it has spread outside the prostate, it’s very hard to stop.”
Here’s all you need to know about Australia’s most common cancers:
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia, accounting for 16 per cent of all cancers diagnosed and nearly one in three cancers diagnosed among men
An estimated 26,368 Australian men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2024 and close to 4,000 died. That equates to around 72 newly diagnosed cases everyday and 11 deaths.
Men over 40 are being urged to talk to their GP in January about getting a PSA blood test to check for levels of prostate specific antigen in the blood, which can be an indicator of prostate cancer.
Between 1982 and 2018, five-year relative survival for prostate cancer improved from 58% to 95.8%.
To find out more about your risks and screening options, call PCFA’s Specialist Telenursing Service on 1800 22 00 99 or go to www.pcfa.org.au.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in Australia and the second most common cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer.
Women are being reminded not to forget their yearly breast check by making a booking for a mammogram or ultrasound. A screening mammogram is recommended for all women aged 50 to 74.
https://www.canceraustralia.gov.au/cancer-types/breast-cancer/overview
Melanoma is more common in Australia than anywhere else in the world, with higher rates of the potentially deadly skin cancer among older Australians due to the impacts of lifetime sun exposure without adequate protection.
Any amount of sun damage can increase your risk of skin cancers, including melanoma. Authorities are reminding Australians to protect themselves from the sun this summer and get a skin check.
https://www.cancer.org.au/cancer-information/types-of-cancer/melanoma
Bowel Cancer is the second most common cancer among Australian men and women, with symptoms that often go overlooked, such as a change in bowel habits or abdominal pain or bloating.
A fecal occult blood test (FOBT) is a simple test that can be done at home and looks for hidden traces of blood in a bowel motion. The National Bowel Screening Program is free to all Australians aged 50-74 every two years, with test kits sent directly to your home.
https://www.bowelcanceraustralia.org/
Lung Cancer is Australia’s number one cancer killer and the fifth most common cancer in Australia today, accounting for nine percent of all cancers.
If you’re a smoker, today is a great time to quit. Anyone with a history of smoking or a family history of lung cancer should see their GP about their risks and screening options, and get a regular health check-up.
https://www.cancer.org.au/cancer-information/types-of-cancer/lung-cancer
