A new report reveals that here has been a 10 percent rise in cancer figures from 2006 in Australia. The figure translates to nearly 115,000 Australian cancer cases and 43,700 Australians are expected to die from the disease this year.
Health Minister Nicola Roxon emphasized the need for change in health policies to adapt to the changing scenario. “Although survival rates have improved significantly for many cancers in the past 20 years, cancer is still placing an intolerable burden on our community,” she said. She pointed out that the Rudd government has planned to improve cancer care overall by improving rural and regional cancer facilities.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reported that in 2006 there has been a 4 percent rise in cancer rate from 1996. Cancer formed 19 percent of the total disease burden in Australia.
One in three deaths in 2007 was attributed to cancer. Lung cancer forms the deadliest of all cancers the report said killing 4,715 and 2,911 deaths among men and women respectively in 2007. Quitting tobacco use remains the commonest method to prevent “ill health and death” says the report.
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