Most lung and bowel cancers being diagnosed too late, data shows
Most Australians with lung and bowel cancers are being diagnosed too late, data released by Cancer Australia shows, prompting renewed calls for governments to make developing early detection tests a priority.
Just 18% of lung cancer cases recorded in 2011 were caught early, at either stage 1 or stage 2, the research shows. For two out of five patients (42%), the disease had already spread to other organs in the body. And less than half (46%) of colorectal cancer cases were diagnosed at an early stage.
Researchers at Cancer Australia collaborated with all of the Australian cancer registries and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare to gather information on “stage at diagnosis” for the five most common cancers – female breast cancer, bowel, lung, prostate and melanoma.
The data revealed there was significant variation in stage at diagnosis among population groups.
A higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were diagnosed with advanced cancer than non-Indigenous Australians.
Cancer Australia’s chief executive, Dr Helen Zorbas, said the data represented a “major leap forward” for cancer control in Australia.
“The data will help us explore the relationship between cancer stage at diagnosis and survival outcomes, and the role of public health initiatives, early detection and awareness campaigns,” Zorbas said.
The data highlights the urgent need for an early detection test for lung cancer, Australia’s No 1 cancer killer for both men and women, she said.
Late last year Cancer Council Australia called on governments to make fast-tracking biomarker tests for the deadliest types of cancer a priority.
A cancer biomarker is a molecule produced by the cancer or the body in response to the cancer that can be measured in blood, body fluid or tissues. Testing for a biomarker can inform diagnosis and prognosis, as well as predict treatment response.
The council’s Prof Ian Olver said this approach was key to improving survival rates, particularly for lung cancer.
“It’s not an exaggeration to say that biomarkers are the silver bullet that can speed up diagnosis and pinpoint the best treatment approach for the patient,” he said.