VICTORIANS’ survival rate for cancer might be improving but Ballarat oncologist Stephen Brown said there was still a long way to go in finding cures.
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Dr Brown, Ballarat Health Services’ acting head of oncology, said rapid advances in treatment methods were gradually turning cancers into chronic diseases. Put simply, people were living with cancer longer.
The annual Cancer in Victoria Statistics and Trends report indicates the five-year cancer survival rate has increased from 63 per cent (2004-08) to 67 per cent (2009-13). Last year, 84 Victorians were diagnosed with cancer each day – and 29 Victorians died from cancer every day. Dr Brown said that was still 29 deaths too many.
Better detection methods, improved awareness and more people seeking advice has increased diagnoses.
Dr Brown said not all advances in treatments suited every patient. The challenge was in finding the right treatment and that was an exciting step forward.
“If you put 10 patients in a room, with bowl cancer for example, those 10 patients would each act very differently to the same treatment,” Dr Brown said. “Treatment is more than just chemo(therapy) now, we’re moving more towards targeted treatment, looking at specific mutations and what has gone wrong.
“...Immunotherapy is the direction oncology is taking. Using a patient’s own immune system to fight it, which is more effective than a scattergun approach.”
Breast, prostate, bowel, lung and melanomas are the most common cancers for Victorians. Prostate cancer is no longer the most common cancer in Victoria for the first time since 2003 due to the way prostate cancer is detected. Prostate cancer diagnosis has dropped 28 per cent.
Melanoma rates are also declining and the Andrews government has pledged $15 million to skin cancer prevention in this year’s state budget with further investment in medical research and technology.
Dr Brown said Ballarat was fortunate that most cancer treatments could be made in the Ballarat Regional Integrated Cancer Centre, with few needing to be referred to Melbourne.
“Extra funding available is always a step in the right direction, which is fantastic,” Dr Brown said. “In terms of where we are heading, we’re winning in some sense but unfortunately, we’ve still got a long way to go.”
Cancer in Victoria Statistics and Trends compiles data from the Victorian Cancer Registry, including incidence and mortality data, survival rates and future projections.
