canada gets a 'b' in cancer death rates
lung, colorectal and prostate cancer are responsible for 40 per cent of canadian cancer deaths.
3 minute read
getty
canadians may be less likely to die from cancer than they were two decades ago, but a new study says the country has plenty of work to do if it wants to keep pace with other developed nations.
the report, titled mortality due to cancer 2020: benchmarking cancer mortality in canada, gave the country a ‘b’ when it comes to cancer morbidity — good for eighth place amongst the 17 countries studied — with 190 deaths per 100,000 people.
“canada’s grade for overall mortality rate due to cancer and for prostate and colorectal cancers specifically means that while canada performs better than half of comparator countries, there is much room for improvement,” said monika slovinec d’angelo, the director of health, healthcare and wellbeing for the conference board of canada, the group that conducted the study.
the research combined 100 different types of cancer to compare mortality rates but took a deeper dive on the big three — lung, colorectal and prostate — which account for over 40 per cent of deaths from the disease. it compared these findings to those from a host of other nations, including australia, finland, france, germany, ireland, the u.k. and the u.s. although canada fared reasonably well in terms of overall morbidity, it trailed most countries in deaths from lung cancer specifically.
advertisement
while canada proved to be a relatively average student, performance fluctuated by province with only b.c. receiving an a grade, compared to other countries, on morbidity from all cancers combined. alberta and ontario ranked second with b grades. the highest mortality rates were found in newfoundland and labrador and nova scotia, with 222 and 216 deaths, respectively, per 100,000 people.
canada’s performance was brought down by a variety of factors, including lengthy wait times for vital medication, a long approval process for new oncology drugs, issues related to private and public insurance coverage and low population density in some areas that makes it difficult to deliver innovative treatment. “our research underscores the important role prevention, early detection and screening, and better access to innovative diagnostics and treatments play in improving the management of cancer in canada,” slovinec d’angelo said.
cancer is currently responsible for close to one-third of all deaths in canada, according to the study, with over 225,000 new patients projected to receive a dire diagnosis this year and around 83,000 expected to succumb to the disease in 2020. the big three cancers represent roughly half of all new cases in the country.
advertisement
while the number of people developing the disease is on the rise, the study points out this is not due to increased prevalence, but rather a combination of population growth and improved methods of detection. this improvement has been a bright spot for the country that has led to a steady decrease in the age-standardized mortality rate from the disease since 2003. many of these deaths are still considered avoidable, however.
“we are pleased to support this analysis of cancer mortality in canada,” said suna avcil, executive medical director at amgen canada, the u.s. biopharmaceutical company that commissioned the study. “while much progress has been made in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease, amgen remains committed to helping identify areas of high unmet medical need and looking for solutions that improve health outcomes and dramatically improve people’s lives.”
dave yasvinski is a writer with healthing.ca
if you or someone you care about is living with cancer, connecting with a support network can help to not only learn ways to better manage their health, but also share experiences with others. some canadian resources include the canadian cancer survivor network, wellspring, and cancer connect at the canadian cancer society.
advertisement
don’t miss the latest 世界杯决赛2022. subscribe to healthing’s daily newsletter.
share story
