EXPERT REACTION: 230,000 deaths prevented by cancer control measures in Australia since the mid-1980s

Media release

New research reveals decades of cancer control efforts paying off

Research by Cancer Council Victoria’s Cancer Epidemiology Division published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health has revealed more than 230,000 lives have been saved from the impact of cancer control measures implemented since about the 1960s.

These figures prove the importance of sustained cancer control investment in both primary and secondary prevention, as the Australian health care sector prepares for cancer incidence to increase by about 50 per cent between 2020 and 2044.

Using data from the World Health Organization’s Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN), researchers from Cancer Council Victoria and the University of Calgary analysed age-standardised cancer mortality rates from 1950 to 2018, finding more than 230,000 deaths have been avoided to date.

Sixty-five per cent of the avoided deaths occurred in the final 10 years of the study period (between 2009 to 2018), showing progress in the fight against cancer has accelerated and continued.

Deputy Head of Cancer Epidemiology at Cancer Council Victoria and lead researcher Associate Professor Brigid Lynch said the study was about better understanding the real-world impacts of decades of Australian cancer-control methods.

“What we’re seeing is a snowball effect – we’re now seeing the result of investments made in cancer control over the many decades,” Associate Professor Lynch said.

Associate Professor Lynch said there was a substantial decrease in the mortality from lung cancer, rates of which have been dropping since the 1980s, reflecting the success of anti-smoking campaigns.

“Quit campaigns in the 1980s impacted smoking prevalence and led to a drop in lung cancer deaths,” she said.

“We’ve also seen the mortality rate drop markedly for breast, cervical and stomach cancer.

“While we know more women are diagnosed with breast cancer today because of increased screening, thanks to early detection and improved treatment options, that mortality rate is falling.”

But not all cancers are following this trend – Associate Professor Lynch said their research found the mortality rates for liver and brain cancer were continuing to rise.

“These are trends we’ve seen both in Australia as well as around the world,” she said.

More than half of liver cancer cases are caused by long-term infection of the hepatitis B or C viruses, with an increase in testing critical to saving lives; however, Cancer Council Victoria is leading efforts to improve screening and community education as well as implementing advocacy work for populations at high risks.

Cancer Council Victoria is also leading the world’s largest study of risk factors into glioma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.

“If we can better identify this cancer’s risk factors, we can work to reduce mortality and incidence through prevention measures,” she said.

Associate Professor Lynch said the findings published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health help play a role in directing priorities for cancer control strategies.

“It's vital that society increases investment in cancer prevention and early detection efforts to help save lives,” she said.

“We are anticipating a significant increase of cancer incidence over the coming years due to our ageing and growing population.

“Prevention is the only way we can reduce the health, social and economic burden of cancer and protect our health care system.”

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