A new report published Monday paints a picture of the current situation in Canada for more than 20 cancers. It shows an overall increase in the number of cancer cases, but a decrease in mortality. The report also reveals that Quebec has the worst cancer incidence rate in Canada.
Cancer continues to be the leading cause of death in Canada. The report projects that by 2025, 254,800 Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer, and 87,400 will die from it.
Lung cancer is projected to be the most frequently diagnosed cancer in the country, with 32,900 cases expected in 2025. It is followed by breast cancer (31,900 cases), prostate cancer (30,400 cases), and colorectal cancer (26,400 cases). These four cancers are expected to account for 48 per cent of all cancers diagnosed in 2025.
“Overall, we see that the incidence of cancer continues to increase for most types of cancer, although for some, there are some interesting decreases, such as for melanomas,” points out Dr. Denis Soulières, hematologist-oncologist and scientific and medical spokesperson for the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS). “So, the campaigns that have been carried out for the past 30 years, warning people to be careful about UV radiation, are probably starting to bear fruit, namely that there is a slight decrease in that area.”
The rise in cancer cases is primarily due to population growth and aging. “Because the primary risk factor for developing cancer is age. The older you are, the higher your risk of getting cancer,” explains Dr. Soulières. “However, the report is also interesting because, overall, despite the increase in the number of cases, cancer mortality has continued to decline year after year for the past 30 years.”
It is estimated that 22 per cent of people living in Canada will die from cancer. Mortality rates from all cancers peaked in the late 1980s for men and in the mid-1990s for women. Rates have since declined by 42 per cent for men and 28 per cent for women.
“This tells us a lot that what we know in terms of screening for certain types of cancer, such as breast cancer and colon cancer, is paying off, and that drugs are more effective than before in being able to control cancer,” argues Dr. Soulières.
In general, cancer mortality rates are lower in the western provinces and Ontario, and higher in Quebec and Atlantic Canada. Quebec has an age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) of 216 cases per 100,000 population. The ASMR represents the number of deaths attributable to cancer relative to the total population, taking into account age, a factor that influences the occurrence of the disease.
In comparison, Ontario has a non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) rate of 195 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Yukon has the highest rate with 113 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
Quebec needs to ask itself some questions
“Finally, we have data from Quebec that is more broadly integrated into the report,” says Dr. Soulières, who has often lamented this deficiency in recent years. “Previously, it was inadequate. So, we are starting to have more adequate data from Quebec, and we are told that for the next report, we should have years that are roughly as up-to-date as those for the rest of Canada.”
This allows us to compare what is happening in Quebec with the rest of the country. The results should prompt decision-makers to ask themselves some questions, says Dr. Soulières.
According to the report, Quebec is projected to have the highest cancer incidence rate, with an age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) of nearly 664 per 100,000 population. ASIR is the number of new cancer cases relative to the total population, adjusted for age. By comparison, Ontario’s ASIR is nearly 599 cases per 100,000 population. British Columbia is projected to have the lowest cancer incidence rate, with 545 cases per 100,000 population.
“We see that the incidence of cancer in Quebec is really above what we see in the national average and this should raise questions for us (…), namely what are the Quebec government’s intervention plans to ensure that we understand this reality of cancer, which is more significant in Quebec than in the rest of Canada. What are we doing in terms of screening? Should we be emphasizing screenings for colon cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, which are less frequently done now and should be done more often?” asks the hematologist-oncologist.
The report “Canadian Cancer Statistics 2025” was prepared by the Canadian Cancer Statistics Advisory Committee, in collaboration with the Canadian Cancer Society, Statistics Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada.
—
The Canadian Press’s health coverage is supported by a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. The Canadian Press is solely responsible for this journalistic content.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
