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FACT SHEET: CANADIAN CANCER STATISTICS 2008 - CANCER TRENDS ACROSS CANADA & IN BRITISH COLUMBIA 09
April
2008
VANCOUVER -
Canadian Cancer Statistics 2008 was released today by the Canadian Cancer Society. Overall, there are no significant changes from last year. In general, the incidence and death rates for the majority of cancer sites have stabilized or declined during the past decade. This means that a person’s individual risk of cancer has remained stable. CURRENT NEW CASES AND DEATHS IN CANADA - There will be an estimated 166,400 new cases of cancer and 73,800 deaths from cancer. This is 6,500 more new cases and 1,100 more deaths than 2007.
- In British Columbia, there will be an estimated 20,500 new cases of cancer and 9,200 deaths from cancer. This is 100 fewer new cases and 200 more deaths than 2007.
The number of new cancer cases and deaths continues to rise steadily as the Canadian population grows and ages. SURVIVAL - Among Canadians diagnosed between 2001 and 2003, the five-year relative survival rate for all cancers combined was 62 per cent (excluding Quebec).
- An estimated 39 per cent of Canadian females and 45 per cent of males will develop cancer during their lifetimes.
- An estimated 24 per cent of women and 29 per cent of men will die from cancer, or approximately one out of every four Canadians will die from cancer.
PREVALENCE - In 2004, 2.5 per cent of Canadian men and 2.8 per cent of Canadian women have had a diagnosis of cancer in the previous 15 years.
CANADA-WIDE TRENDS IN INCIDENCE AND DEATH Canadian men Overall death rate: - Since 1988, the overall cancer death rate for Canadian men has been declining as a result of decreases in death rates for lung, colorectal and other cancers.
Overall incidence rate: - The overall cancer incidence rate for males rose slightly in the early 1990s (following the trend of prostate cancer incidence during this period) then declined sharply. The gradual decline in cancer incidence for males is expected to continue.
Between 1995 and 2004 the following statistically significant changes of two per cent or more per year were observed in males: - decreases in incidence rates for lung, stomach, and larynx cancers;
- increases in incidence rates for thyroid and liver cancers;
- increase in death rate for liver cancer; and
- decreases in death rates for Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, stomach, larynx, prostate, oral, and lung cancer.
Canadian women: Overall death rate: - The overall cancer death rate for Canadian females has been essentially stable since 1979. If lung cancer is excluded, a major decline of 20 per cent has occurred for other types of cancer over a 30-year period.
Overall incidence rate: - For Canadian women the overall cancer incidence rate has been increasing slowly and steadily (due largely to increasing incidence of lung cancer), but may be stabilizing.
Between 1995 and 2004 the following statistically significant changes of two per cent or more per year were observed for females: - decreases in incidence rates for brain, larynx, cervical and stomach cancers;
- increase in incidence rates for thyroid cancer;
- decreases in death rates for Hodgkin lymphoma, stomach and cervical cancers.
LUNG CANCER - In 2008, approximately 23,900 Canadians will be diagnosed with lung cancer (600 more than 2007) and about 20,200 (300 more than 2007) will die from it. It is the second most common cancer diagnosed in both men (12,600 new cases) and women (11,300 new cases) in Canada. It is the leading cause of cancer-related death for men (11,000 cases; 28% of all cancer deaths) and women (9,200 cases; 26% of all cancer deaths).
- In females, lung cancer incidence and death rates have increased since 1979 and continue to do so. Smoking rates among women began to decline slightly only in the mid-1980s, therefore, declining lung cancer rates have yet to become apparent.
- Among men, rising incidence and death rates for lung cancer began to level off in the mid-1980s and have been declining ever since.
PROSTATE CANCER - Prostate cancer remains the most frequently diagnosed cancer among Canadian men.
- A man’s personal risk of developing prostate cancer has changed little since the late 1990s.
- Prostate cancer death rates declined significantly between 1995 and 2004.
- A change in how the new prostate cancer cases were estimated was used this year. The trend for new prostate cancer cases has been irregular due to two periods of rapid increases in new cases, followed by decreases. The increases were likely due to more widespread use of the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test. Since the trend has become more regular in recent years, a different estimating approach was used. This approach more accurately reflects the current trend of new cases of prostate cancer.
COLORECTAL CANCER - In 2008, it is estimated that 21,500 Canadians will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer (700 more than last year) and about 8,900 will die of the disease (200 more than last year). It is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men (11,800 new cases) and women (9,700 new cases) in Canada. It is the second most common cancer-related death for men (4,800) and the third most common for women (4,100).
- Colorectal cancer death rates continue to decline significantly for both men and women.
BREAST CANCER - In 2008, approximately 22,400 Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer (100 more than last year), and about 5,300 will die from it (same as in previous year).
- Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among Canadian women (28% of all cancer cases).
- The breast cancer incidence rate has declined significantly since 1999 by 1.7 per cent per year.
- The breast cancer death rate has declined by more than 25 per cent since 1986. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death (15% of all cancer deaths) after lung cancer.
GOOD NEWS ABOUT CANCER IN B.C. Generally, both cancer incidence and mortality rates are lower in British Columbia than in the rest of Canada. A closer look at cancer statistics for B.C. women: Cancer incidence rates in B.C. women: - B.C. women have the second lowest overall incidence rate of cancer in the country. B.C. women also have the lowest incidence rate for breast and colorectal cancers.
Cancer mortality rates in B.C. women:
- B.C. women have the lowest overall mortality rate for cancers in Canada. B.C. women also have the lowest mortality rate for breast and colorectal cancer in the country.
New cancer cases in B.C. women: - For 2008, an estimated 9,700 women will be diagnosed with some form of cancer (same as last year). There will be 2,700 diagnoses of breast cancer. There will be an estimated 1,400 cases of lung cancer and 1,200 women will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer.
Estimated cancer deaths in B.C. women: - There are an estimated 4,400 cancer deaths predicted for women in B.C. this year (100 more than last year). Deaths due to lung cancer are expected to be at 1,150, 640 women are expected to die of breast cancer and 470 from colorectal cancer in 2008.
A closer look at cancer statistics for B.C. men: Cancer incidence rates in B.C. men: - B.C. men have the lowest overall incidence rates of cancer in Canada, and the lowest incidence rate for lung and colorectal cancers.
Cancer mortality rates in B.C. men: - B.C. men have the lowest overall mortality rate for cancers in Canada, and the lowest mortality rate for prostate, colorectal and lung cancer.
New cancer cases in B.C. men: - An estimated 10,800 men will be diagnosed with some form of cancer in 2008 (100 fewer than last year). Approximately 2,900 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, 1,400 men are expected to be diagnosed with lung cancer and another 1,450 are expected to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer.
- NOTE: Because the estimating approach was changed, you cannot compare the 2008 prostate cancer cases to the 2007 numbers. In B.C. there has been a slight decrease this year in the estimated new cases of prostate cancer. However, a man’s individual risk has changed little since the late 1990s.
Estimated cancer deaths in B.C. men: - There are an estimated 4,800 cancer deaths predicted for men in B.C. in 2008. 1,250 men are expected to die of lung cancer. Deaths for prostate cancer are estimated at 560 while deaths from colorectal cancer are estimated at 570.
Canadian Cancer Statistics 2008 is prepared, printed and distributed through a collaboration of the Canadian Cancer Society, the Public Health Agency of Canada, the National Cancer Institute of Canada, Statistics Canada, provincial/territorial cancer registries, as well as university-based and provincial/territorial cancer agency-based cancer researchers. The Canadian Cancer Society is a national community-based organization of volunteers whose mission is the eradication of cancer and the enhancement of the quality of life of people living with cancer. When you want to know more about cancer, visit our website www.cancer.ca or call our toll-free, bilingual Cancer Information Service at 1 888 939-3333. NOTES Age-standardized rates refer to the number of people per 100,000 who are diagnosed, or die of, cancer, adjusted to the 1991 Canadian population. Age-standardization allows comparisons among the different years since it accounts for changes that have occurred over time in the age distribution of the population. Five-year relative survival is the proportion of people alive five years after their diagnosis, adjusted for the deaths expected for similar people in the general population. Relative survival is the most often used method for analyzing the survival of cancer patients across a population. Data from Quebec have been excluded, in part, because the method of ascertaining the date of cancer diagnosis differs from the method used by other registries. For more information about Canadian Cancer Statistics 2008, visit the Society’s website at www.cancer.ca For more information about Canadian Cancer Statistics 2008, visit the Society’s website at www.cancer.ca . -30- For more information, please contact: Kristine Carrick Manager, Media Relations Canadian Cancer Society, BC and Yukon Division Phone:
(604) 675-7336 Cell: 604 831 2598
604 831 2598
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