What is cancer?

In very simple terms cancer is uncontrolled cell growth. 

Although there are many kinds of cancer affecting different organs in the body, they all are caused by uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells.

In a healthy individual cells grow, divide, and die in a highly regulated fashion.  During childhood, healthy cells grow and divide very rapidly until the individual becomes an adult.  At this stage, cell growth slows until in most parts of the body, cells only divide to replace worn-out or dying cells and repair injuries.

Cancer cells arise when irreparable damage occurs to DNA.  This damage can be caused by environmental factors such as excessive sunlight or smoking to name just two.  In addition people can inherit damaged DNA accounting for cancers that occur in families such as some types of breast cancer.

Cancer cells often travel to other parts of the body where they begin to grow and replace normal tissue. This process, called metastasis, occurs when cancer cells find their way into the bloodstream or lymphatic system of our body.  When cells from a cancer like breast cancer spread to another organ like the liver, the cancer is still called breast cancer, not liver cancer.

Given its effect on all Australians, both socially and economically, it is the Australian Cancer Research Foundation’s belief that everyone can play a role in finding the eventual cure. Cancer is a community problem. And all of us need to play a role in the search for its cure. To find out how you can help, click here.

Cancer Statistics

• Cancer is the leading cause of death in Australia with over 35,700 people succumbing each year, in spite of a 30 percent improvement in survival over the last two decades.

• 1 in 3 Australian men and 1 in 4 Australian women will be directly affected by cancer before the age of 75. Cancer does not discriminate. It can, and does, affect people of all ages.

• Cancers most commonly causing death are lung, prostate and colorectal in males and breast, lung and colorectal in women. , which together account for 59% of all cancers. 

• In the under 15 years group of childhood cancers, lymphoid leukaemia and brain and central nervous system cancers predominate while melanoma and breast cancers are most common in the 15-44 age groups.

• Most people in Australia will be affected by cancer at some stage in their lives, either personally or through family and friends. This year alone, more than 82,000 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in Australia. And as our population ages, cancer is becoming an ever more relevant and prevalent problem.

• The survival rate for many common cancers has increased by more than 30 per cent in the past two decades, due to treatment improvements and new interventions brought about by research. 

• Among all persons, colorectal (bowel), breast, prostate, melanoma and lung cancer together account for 59% of all cancers.

• Cancers most commonly causing death are lung, prostate and colorectal in males and breast, lung and colorectal in women.

• In the under 15 years group of childhood cancers lymphoid leukaemia and brain and central nervous system cancers predominate while melanoma and breast cancers are most common in the 15-44 age groups.

• Queensland has the highest incidence of all cancers in both males and females while Northern Territory has the lowest incidence.

• Melanoma risk is highest in northern areas and lower in more southern areas.

• Excluding melanoma, Tasmania has the highest incidence rate for all cancers combined and the highest mortality rates for both males and females while NSW has the lowest mortality rates.

• Between 1991 and 2001 the incidence rates for all cancers rose by 6.5% in females with no significant increase for males.  In both males and females the mortality rates in 2001 was the lowest since the cancer registry began operations in 1971.

• About 374,000 cases of non-melanoma skin cancer (the most frequently occurring cancer in Australia, but the least life-threatening) are also diagnosed each year.

For statistics on medical research, click here.

References: 
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and Australasian Association of Cancer Registries, Cancer in Australia 2000, Canberra, 2003.
National Cancer Control Initiative, The 2002 National Non-melanoma Skin Cancer

- Cancer Council of Australia website quoting figures from:
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and Australasian Association of Cancer Registries, Cancer in Australia 2000, Canberra, 2003.
National Cancer Control Initiative, The 2002 National Non-melanoma Skin Cancer Survey, Melbourne, 2003.

Cancer Research

Sustained research is helping to reduce the death rate by finding better ways to detect, manage and treat cancer. Twenty years ago there were fewer drugs to fight cancers. No-one knew, for example, that radiotherapy after surgery would dramatically improve survival rates. Twenty years ago therapies were less successful.

The good news is that more than half of the new cases of cancer diagnosed will be successfully treated. Research has made a significant impact on the lives of patients with cancer. The survival rate for many common cancers has increased by more than 30 per cent in the past two decades, due to treatment improvements and new interventions facilitated by research.

Twenty years from now we hope that all cancers will be treated with vaccines, (like Professor Ian Frazer's breakthrough vaccine to prevent cervical cancer) or using gene-based technology, or other methods we haven’t even though of yet.

Today’s research is tomorrow’s cure. To find out about the ACRF's research grants , click here.

But while the wheels are in motion, major hurdles still remain. There are few efficacious agents in any advanced cancer. For example, in advanced prostate cancer there are few agents capable of either curing the disease or allowing for maintenance of excellent quality of life.

So for maximum progress, we have to endeavour to ensure that the best and brightest researchers continue to be drawn to this major problem of mankind. And that funding continues to provide for better facilities and equipment to enable researchers to carry out their vital work.

Your continuing support is vital to the ongoing success of the Foundation and our efforts to fund the very best cancer research.

Cancer Costs

• The fight against cancer doesn’t come cheaply. Microscopes used in the latest cell-based research, for example, cost more than $1 million each, and the annual cost of treating cancer in Australia is more than $2 billion.

• Cancer costs $2.7 billion in direct health system costs (5.7%). Skin cancer is the most expensive, with annual costs around $300 million.

• $215 million was spent on cancer research in 2000-01, just above 18% of all health research expenditure in Australia.

• “If we can reduce cancer deaths in the next forty years by 20%, we would save $184 billion” (Access Economics report published 2003, Australian Society of Medical Research).