Cancer Care Ontario says the number of new cancer cases have nearly tripled over the last three and a half decades.
But the statistics also show survival rates have also increased.
Cancer Care Ontario's report is the first comprehensive look at the state of cancer in the province. It focuses on the incidence, mortality, survival and prevalence of the disease.
The increase in new cases can largely be attributed to an aging population and population growth. At the same time, cancer survival for nearly all cancer types is improving, particularly from breast, colorectal and lung cancers.
The five-year relative survival for all cancers combined in Ontario is 63 per cent, which is a significant increase from 48 per cent in the mid-1980s.
"This data emphasizes the importance of the work we're doing with our partners to reduce the burden of cancer in the province," says Dr. Prithwish De, Director, Surveillance and Cancer Registry, Cancer Care Ontario. "Moving forward, this report will serve as a resource for us and others to reference when making informed decisions, taking action and measuring the impact of our work."
Key Statistics:
Approximately 1 in 2 Ontarians will develop cancer in their lifetime and approximately 1 in 4 Ontarians will die from it.
Approximately 85,648 new cases of cancer are expected to be diagnosed in Ontario in 2016, which is almost triple the number of cases that were diagnosed in 1981.
There are now more people living in Ontario with a diagnosis of cancer than there were 20 years ago – an estimated 362,557 people as of January 1, 2013, or about 2.7% of the population.
