A new Cancer Council report shows an increase in childhood cancer incidence rates for Australian girls.

The report, Childhood cancer incidence in Australia, 1983-2006, observed an ongoing significant increase of 0.9 per cent per year in childhood cancer incidence rates for girls from 1983 – 2006.

Cancer Council Queensland’s Director of Cancer Registries, Associate Professor Joanne Aitken, said the report represented the most current data on how many Australian children are diagnosed with cancer each year, as well as trends for each of the major types of childhood cancer.

“While there has been an increase in cancer incidence in girls aged 0-14 years, the number of boys diagnosed with cancer is still significantly higher than girls.

“In Australia, in the ten years from 1997-2006, 337 boys were diagnosed with cancer each year, compared to 282 girls.”

A/Prof Aitken said the report was published by Cancer Council Queensland’s Viertel Centre for Research in Cancer Control using information from the Australian Paediatric Cancer Registry (APCR).

“From 1983-1994 the number of children diagnosed with cancer increased by 1.7 per cent per year, but since then incidence has remained stable.

“While it is good news that childhood cancer incidence rates have remained stable since 1994, we still have a lot to learn about childhood cancers.

“Cancer remains the leading cause of disease-related death in Australian children.

“The APCR’s work collecting information on cancer diagnosis, stage, treatment and survival is vital to childhood cancer research.

“This information is used by researchers to help improve our understanding of childhood cancers and improve treatments and increase survival rates for children with cancer.”

Cancer Council Queensland is an independent, community-based charity. The achievements of Cancer Council Queensland are made possible by the generosity of Queenslanders.

ENDS.