23 July 2015

A new report shows the cancer death rate is falling, while the number of Australians with cancer is rising.

Data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare shows the death rate will fall from 214 per 100,000 males in 2013 to 183 deaths per 100,000 males in 2025. For women the death rate is predicted to fall from 135 per 100,000 to 120 per 100,000 in the same period.

While this rate is decreasing, Australia’s aging and growing population is responsible for a predicted increase in deaths from cancer, with 32,010 deaths expected in 2025, up from 25,580.

In 2015 an estimated 126,800 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in Australia, compared to 118,711 in 2011.

Bowel cancer figures

Bowel cancer continues to be the second most commonly diagnosed cancer, after prostate cancer. In 2015 it’s estimated 17,070 new cases of bowel cancer will be diagnosed in Australia.

In 2015 it’s estimated the risk of a person being diagnosed with bowel cancer by their 85th birthday will be 1 in 12 (1 in 10 males and 1 in 15 females).

In 2012 there were 3,980 deaths from bowel cancer. In 2015 it is estimated to increase to 4,120 deaths.

You can read the full study here. Updated cancer information can be found here.