Nearly 1 in 2 Canadians is expected to be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, according to a new report Canadian Cancer Statistics 2017 released today by the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) in partnership with the Public Health Agency of Canada and Statistics Canada. For males, the lifetime risk is 49% and for females it is 45%. This puts an enormous burden on individuals, the healthcare system and services and research supported by cancer charities. CCS is calling on the public to invest in cancer research and prevention efforts to reduce the impact of cancer on Canadians.
This sobering statistic highlights the fact that cancer is a disease that will touch almost all of us in some way, says Dr Leah Smith, CCS epidemiologist and one of the reports authors. Almost half of us will be diagnosed with at least one form of cancer at some point during our lifetime. In addition, 1 in 4 Canadians will die of cancer. That might be your spouse, your parent, your child or you. The good news is we can do something about it. About half of all cancers can be prevented and research continues to improve the outlook for people with cancer.
CCS emphasizes that the rise in cancer cases is primarily being driven by an aging and growing population. According to todays report, an estimated 206,200 Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer this year, and almost 90% of these cases will be among Canadians 50 years of age and older. As more people live into old age, the number of cancer cases will continue to rise.
Canadians have the power to reduce their cancer risk. This report underscores how important it is to focus on healthy behaviours and healthy public policies to reduce the number of people hearing the words you have cancer each year, says Smith. Actions like quitting smoking, eating well, being physically active and practising sun safety, along with appropriate cancer screening tests, can go a long way to reducing your risk of getting cancer.
Research is also a critical piece of the puzzle. Investments in cancer research will lead to better prevention, enhanced screening, earlier diagnosis, more targeted and effective treatments, improved quality of life and, ultimately, fewer cancer cases and deaths.
Thanks in part to our donors, CCS is able to invest in the most promising research in Canada, says Smith. But the reality is last year, 60% of high-priority research projects went unfunded because of the money we had available. Imagine the impact we could have if we were able to fund 100%.
