FIRST CANCER IN ONTARIO REPORT IMPROVES KNOWLEDGE OF CANCER TRENDS

Cancer Cases are Rising, but More Ontarians Surviving

TORONTO, Oct. 26 /CNW/ - Cancer is not just one disease; cancer is more than 200 different types of disease.  Cancer data and trends require continuous monitoring to give us a clear picture of the progress we are making against this disease. Cancer in Ontario: Overview is the first detailed report on data and trends for the most common types of cancer.

"We have a wealth of accurate data on cancer in this province, which we don't have for other diseases," said Terrence Sullivan, president and CEO, Cancer Care Ontario. "This information allows us to create more and better strategies in our fight against cancer."

Epidemiologists and surveillance experts identify and interpret cancer trends, which helps healthcare policy makers and planners adapt and create better strategies to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer.

"This report is the first of a series of upcoming Cancer in Ontario reports that will focus on causes of cancer, geographic differences in the province or specific groups within our population," said Dr. Loraine Marrett, director, Surveillance, Cancer Care Ontario. "While we know a lot more about cancer trends than we did 70 years ago (when The Ontario Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation was founded in 1943) our environment and behaviour is constantly changing, which is why the work of surveillance experts and reports like this one are so important."

"Surveillance reports like Cancer in Ontario are the foundation for strategies found in the Ontario Cancer Plan, which has the goal of improving the quality of cancer care in our province," said Dr. Linda Rabeneck, vice president, Prevention and Cancer Control, Cancer Care Ontario.

In this report we found:

• Since 1982, the number of new cancer cases in Ontario has been increasing, mostly because of population growth and aging.
  
  
• Cancer mortality rates have been declining and survival rates improving for most of the common cancers and in most age groups.
  
  
• The number of Ontarians living with a diagnosis of cancer is increasing as a result of both increasing numbers of new cases and better survival.
  
  
• Over half of new cancers and cancer deaths are attributable to lung, colon and rectum, breast or prostate cancers.
  
  
• Although only 2.3 per cent of cancers occur before age 30, improved survival at these ages means that more young people face major effects on their health over the course of their lives because of cancer.

Cancer Care Ontario continually improves cancer services so that fewer people get cancer and patients receive better care.

For further information:

Elizabeth McCarthy
Senior Advisor, Public Affairs, Cancer Care Ontario
P: 416-971-9800 x. 3339
C: 416-666-8603
E: [email protected]