Cancer in Greater Brisbane

 

   

The CCQ region of Greater Brisbane covers only 0.53% of Queensland (9,160 km2). However, its population of approximately 2.27 million in 2018 represented 44.6% of Queensland’s total population.
 

The Greater Brisbane region has the highest population density of the CCQ regions, and is the commercial and administrative capital of Queensland. In addition to the Brisbane City, the Greater Brisbane region includes Ipswich in the west and Redcliffe towards north. There are currently eight radiation treatment centres in Greater Brisbane – Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Radiation Oncology Princess Alexandra Raymond Terrace (ROPART), Princess Alexandra Hospital, Wesley Hospital, GenesisCare Chermside, Radiation Oncology Centre (ROC) Springfield, ROC North Lakes and ROC Greenslopes.

   

Region Characteristics (2018 data unless otherwise specified) Greater Brisbane Queensland
Percent of population who…
… are female 50.6% 50.5%
… are aged 50 years and over 20.7% 22.7%
… are Indigenous (2016) 2.6% 4.6%
… speak another language at home 17.5% 12.1%
… live in remote areas 0.0% 2.1%
… live within 2 hours drive of radiation treatment 99.4% 89.4%
… live more than 6 hours drive from radiation treatment 0.0% 1.8%
… live in disadvantaged areas 13.1% 17.9%
… live in affluent areas 34.5% 18.8%
All Cancers* Greater Brisbane Male Female Persons
Number of new cases per year 6103 5262 11366
Chance of diagnosis by age 80* 1 in 2.2 1 in 2.7 1 in 2.4
Median age at diagnosis 67 yrs 65 yrs 66 yrs
Five-year relative survival 71% 75% 73%
Number of deaths per year 1846 1507 3353
Percent deaths before age 80 67% 64% 65%
1 Persons data may not equal sum of males and females due to rounding.
2 Cancers with a lifetime risk above 1 in 5 the value provided to one decimal point.
## Warning: Removed 2 rows containing non-finite values (stat_smooth).

The 10 most common cancers diagnosed in Greater Brisbane by sex, 2014 - 2018

Five-year relative survival in Greater Brisbane by type of cancer and sex, 2014 - 2018

Note: Relative survival calculated using the period method, for persons aged 0-89 years at diagnosis. Data are for “at risk” cases in the period 2014-2018

Facts about the most common cancers in Greater Brisbane

Colorectal Cancer Male Female Persons
Number of new cases per year 668 567 1235
Chance of diagnosis by age 80* 1 in 16 1 in 22 1 in 18
Median age at diagnosis 69 yrs 70 yrs 70 yrs
Five-year relative survival 69% 72% 70%
Number of deaths per year 216 186 402
Percent deaths before age 80 66% 55% 61%
## Warning: Removed 2 rows containing non-finite values (stat_smooth).
Lung Cancer Male Female Persons
Number of new cases per year 528 434 962
Chance of diagnosis by age 80* 1 in 18 1 in 24 1 in 21
Median age at diagnosis 71 yrs 70 yrs 71 yrs
Five-year relative survival 20% 27% 23%
Number of deaths per year 382 281 663
Percent deaths before age 80 72% 73% 73%
## Warning: Removed 2 rows containing non-finite values (stat_smooth).
Melanoma Male Female Persons
Number of new cases per year 892 636 1528
Chance of diagnosis by age 80* 1 in 12 1 in 19 1 in 15
Median age at diagnosis 64 yrs 60 yrs 63 yrs
Five-year relative survival 92% 96% 93%
Number of deaths per year 84 36 120
Percent deaths before age 80 64% 60% 63%
## Warning: Removed 2 rows containing non-finite values (stat_smooth).
Female Breast Cancer Male Female Persons
Number of new cases per year . . . . . . 1446 . . . . . .
Chance of diagnosis by age 80* . . . . . . 1 in 8 . . . . . .
Median age at diagnosis . . . . . . 61 yrs . . . . . .
Five-year relative survival . . . . . . 92% . . . . . .
Number of deaths per year . . . . . . 219 . . . . . .
Percent deaths before age 80 . . . . . . 70% . . . . . .
## Warning: Removed 1 rows containing non-finite values (stat_smooth).
Prostate Cancer Male Female Persons
Number of new cases per year 1533 . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chance of diagnosis by age 80* 1 in 6 . . . . . . . . . . . .
Median age at diagnosis 68 yrs . . . . . . . . . . . .
Five-year relative survival 94% . . . . . . . . . . . .
Number of deaths per year 220 . . . . . . . . . . . .
Percent deaths before age 80 43% . . . . . . . . . . . .
## Warning: Removed 1 rows containing non-finite values (stat_smooth).

More details on the top 10 cancers diagnosed in Greater Brisbane

Persons
Incidence (a)
Mortality (a)
Type of cancer Average no. per year Annual rate (per 100,000 (b) Five-year relative survival (%) (c) Average no. per year Annual rate (per 100,000) (b)
All invasive cancers 11366 529 [524,533] 73 [72,73] 3353 157 [155,159]
Prostate cancer 1533 n.a. 94 [93,95] 220 n.a.
Melanoma 1528 71 [70,73] 93 [92,94] 120 6 [5,6]
Female breast cancer 1446 n.a. 92 [91,92] 219 n.a.
Colorectal cancer 1235 58 [56,59] 70 [69,72] 402 19 [18,20]
Lung cancer 962 45 [44,47] 23 [22,24] 663 31 [30,32]
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma 445 21 [20,22] 79 [77,81] 102 5 [4,5]
Kidney cancer 348 16 [15,17] 76 [74,79] 79 4 [3,4]
Thyroid cancer 293 14 [13,14] 98 [96,99] ** **
Pancreatic cancer 258 12 [11,13] 14 [12,16] 201 9 [9,10]
Uterine cancer 214 n.a. 84 [82,87] 36 n.a.
Males
Incidence (a)
Mortality (a)
Type of cancer Average no. per year Annual rate (per 100,000 (b) Five-year relative survival (%) (c) Average no. per year Annual rate (per 100,000) (b)
All invasive cancers 6103 606 [599,613] 71 [70,72] 1846 195 [191,199]
Prostate cancer 1533 148 [144,151] 94 [93,95] 220 25 [23,26]
Melanoma 892 88 [86,91] 92 [90,93] 84 9 [8,10]
Colorectal cancer 668 68 [65,70] 69 [67,71] 216 23 [21,24]
Lung cancer 528 54 [52,56] 20 [18,22] 382 40 [38,42]
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma 244 24 [23,26] 78 [75,81] 54 6 [5,6]
Kidney cancer 221 22 [20,23] 77 [74,80] 49 5 [4,6]
Bladder cancer 151 16 [15,17] 63 [59,68] 51 6 [5,6]
Pancreatic cancer 134 14 [13,15] 11 [9,14] 107 11 [10,12]
Lymphoid leukaemia 122 12 [11,13] 87 [83,90] 21 2 [2,3]
Stomach cancer 118 12 [11,13] 40 [36,45] 66 7 [6,8]
Females
Incidence (a)
Mortality (a)
Type of cancer Average no. per year Annual rate (per 100,000 (b) Five-year relative survival (%) (c) Average no. per year Annual rate (per 100,000) (b)
All invasive cancers 5262 466 [460,472] 75 [74,75] 1507 129 [126,132]
Breast cancer 1446 129 [126,132] 92 [91,92] 219 19 [18,20]
Melanoma 636 57 [55,59] 96 [94,97] 36 3 [3,3]
Colorectal cancer 567 50 [48,51] 72 [70,74] 186 16 [15,17]
Lung cancer 434 38 [37,40] 27 [25,29] 281 25 [23,26]
Thyroid cancer 214 20 [19,21] 98 [97,99] ** **
Uterine cancer 214 19 [18,20] 84 [82,87] 36 3 [3,4]
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma 202 18 [17,19] 80 [77,83] 49 4 [4,5]
Kidney cancer 127 11 [10,12] 75 [71,79] 30 3 [2,3]
Pancreatic cancer 124 11 [10,12] 17 [14,21] 95 8 [7,9]
Ovarian cancer 111 10 [9,11] 52 [47,56] 74 6 [6,7]
Note:
n.a. = not applicable (rates for persons not applicable for sex-specific cancers)

** Incidence or mortality counts that averaged less than five per year (and the corresponding rates) have been suppressed to protect confidentiality. Counts and rates for persons have also been suppressed when necessary
a Incidence and mortality data are averaged over the 5 year period from 2014-2018.
b Incidence and mortality rates have been directly age-standardised to the 2001 Australian Standard population, with 95% confidence intervals shown in brackets.
c Five-year relative survival calculated using the period method, for persons aged 0-89 years at diagnosis, with 95% confidence intervals shown in brackets. Estimates are for “at risk” cases in the period 2014-2018
d Persons data may not equal the sum of males and females due to rounding

             

Methodology

1. All cancer data are sourced from the Queensland Cancer Register. The access and use of these data for reporting purposes is subject to strict confidentiality and privacy constraints.
2. Census and population data were obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
3. Population death data used in relative survival calculations were obtained from the Australian Coordinating Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
4. All calculations were performed using Stata v16.1.
5. Trend lines for incidence numbers have been smoothed using the ‘Lowess’ method.
6. Remote areas are defined by the Remoteness Areas 2016 classification (combines Remote and Very Remote).
7. Travelling times to radiation treatment are calculated using spatial and road network software, and are approximate based on the shortest road distances at the recommended speed limits.
8. ‘Affluent areas’ are the 20% of most advantaged Statistical Areas 2 (SA2s) and ‘Disadvantaged areas’ are the 20% of most disadvantaged SA2s as defined by the 2016 SEIFA Index of Advantage and Disadvantage obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
9. Relative survival compares overall survival among those diagnosed with cancer to the expected survival of the general population, taking into account age, sex and year of diagnosis.

 

Disclaimer: The information in this publication should not be used as a substitute for advice from a properly qualified medical professional who can advise you about your own individual medical needs. It is not intended to constitute medical advice and is provided for general information purposes only. Information on cancer, including the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancer, is constantly being updated and revised by medical professionals and the research community. Cancer Council Queensland does not warrant that the information in this publication is correct, up to date or complete nor that it is suitable for any particular purpose. Your use of the information in this publication is at your own risk. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Cancer Council Queensland does not accept any liability for any reliance placed on information that is not correct, complete or up to date, or that is not suited to the purpose for which it was relied upon. If any warranty or guarantee cannot by law be excluded, then, to the extent permitted by law, Cancer Council Queensland’s liability for such warranty or guarantee is limited, at Cancer Council Queensland’s option, to supplying the information or materials again or paying the cost of having the information or materials supplied again.