Cancer in Mackay

 

   

The CCQ region of Mackay covers almost 38,300 km2, or 2.2% of Queensland. In 2019 it had a population of almost 147,544, which was 2.9% of Queensland’s total population.
 

The major population centre is Mackay, with significant industries of the region including sugar cane farming, tourism and mining.The nearest radiation treatment centres are located in Mackay (opened in 2019), Rockhampton and Townsville.

   

Region Characteristics (2019 data unless otherwise specified) Mackay Queensland
Percent of population who…
… are female 48.9% 50.6%
… are aged 50 years and over 24.4% 22.7%
… are Indigenous (2016) 5.8% 4.6%
… speak another language at home 5.7% 12.1%
… live in remote areas 0.0% 2.0%
… live within 2 hours drive of radiation treatment 0.0% 89.5%
… live more than 6 hours drive from radiation treatment 0.0% 1.8%
… live in disadvantaged areas 10.9% 17.7%
… live in affluent areas 0.0% 18.8%
All Cancers* Mackay Male Female Persons
Number of new cases per year 487 347 834
Chance of diagnosis by age 80* 1 in 2.1 1 in 2.8 1 in 2.4
Median age at diagnosis 66 yrs 63 yrs 65 yrs
Five-year relative survival 68% 75% 71%
Number of deaths per year 146 100 246
Percent deaths before age 80 75% 70% 73%
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.

The 10 most common cancers diagnosed in Mackay by sex, 2015 - 2019

Five-year relative survival in Mackay by type of cancer and sex, 2015 - 2019

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 2015-2019

Facts about the most common cancers in Mackay

Colorectal Cancer Male Female Persons
Number of new cases per year 51 41 92
Chance of diagnosis by age 80* 1 in 16 1 in 19 1 in 17
Median age at diagnosis 66 yrs 68 yrs 67 yrs
Five-year relative survival 67% 73% 70%
Number of deaths per year 16 12 28
Percent deaths before age 80 77% 63% 71%
Lung Cancer Male Female Persons
Number of new cases per year 47 29 76
Chance of diagnosis by age 80* 1 in 16 1 in 23 1 in 18
Median age at diagnosis 70 yrs 70 yrs 70 yrs
Five-year relative survival 15% 25% 19%
Number of deaths per year 32 20 53
Percent deaths before age 80 78% 79% 79%
Melanoma Male Female Persons
Number of new cases per year 66 40 106
Chance of diagnosis by age 80* 1 in 13 1 in 20 1 in 15
Median age at diagnosis 63 yrs 58 yrs 61 yrs
Five-year relative survival 89% 92% 90%
Number of deaths per year 8 ** **
Percent deaths before age 80 77% 69% 75%
Female Breast Cancer Male Female Persons
Number of new cases per year . . . . . . 95 . . . . . .
Chance of diagnosis by age 80* . . . . . . 1 in 9 . . . . . .
Median age at diagnosis . . . . . . 59 yrs . . . . . .
Five-year relative survival . . . . . . 90% . . . . . .
Number of deaths per year . . . . . . 18 . . . . . .
Percent deaths before age 80 . . . . . . 78% . . . . . .
Prostate Cancer Male Female Persons
Number of new cases per year 121 . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chance of diagnosis by age 80* 1 in 6 . . . . . . . . . . . .
Median age at diagnosis 68 yrs . . . . . . . . . . . .
Five-year relative survival 92% . . . . . . . . . . . .
Number of deaths per year 14 . . . . . . . . . . . .
Percent deaths before age 80 54% . . . . . . . . . . . .

More details on the top 10 cancers diagnosed in Mackay

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 834 537 [521,554] 71 [69,72] 246 164 [155,174]
Prostate cancer 121 n.a. 92 [89,94] 14 n.a.
Melanoma 106 68 [63,75] 90 [87,93] ** **
Female breast cancer 95 n.a. 90 [87,93] 18 n.a.
Colorectal cancer 92 61 [56,67] 70 [65,74] 28 19 [16,22]
Lung cancer 76 50 [45,55] 19 [15,23] 53 34 [30,39]
Kidney cancer 29 18 [15,22] 78 [69,85] ** **
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma 24 15 [12,18] 82 [73,89] ** **
Thyroid cancer 22 14 [11,17] 99 [92,101] ** **
Pancreatic cancer 20 13 [10,16] 4 [1,10] 17 12 [9,15]
Bladder cancer 17 11 [9,14] 44 [32,56] 8 5 [4,7]
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 487 618 [593,644] 68 [66,70] 146 198 [183,213]
Prostate cancer 121 150 [138,162] 92 [89,94] 14 21 [16,27]
Melanoma 66 83 [74,93] 89 [84,93] 8 11 [8,15]
Colorectal cancer 51 66 [58,75] 67 [60,73] 16 22 [17,27]
Lung cancer 47 61 [53,70] 15 [10,20] 32 43 [36,50]
Kidney cancer 19 24 [19,29] 73 [62,83] 6 8 [5,12]
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma 15 19 [15,24] 80 [67,89] ** **
Bladder cancer 14 19 [14,24] 45 [31,59] 6 8 [5,12]
Pancreatic cancer 12 16 [12,20] 2 [0,8] 11 15 [11,19]
Lymphoid leukaemia 10 12 [9,16] 87 [72,95] ** **
Liver cancer 9 10 [7,14] 32 [16,49] ** **
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 347 458 [436,480] 75 [72,77] 100 133 [121,145]
Breast cancer 95 125 [114,137] 90 [87,93] 18 23 [19,29]
Colorectal cancer 41 55 [48,64] 73 [66,79] 12 16 [12,20]
Melanoma 40 54 [46,62] 92 [87,96] ** **
Lung cancer 29 38 [32,45] 25 [18,34] 20 26 [21,32]
Thyroid cancer 16 21 [17,27] 101 [101,101] ** **
Uterine cancer 12 15 [12,20] 76 [64,86] ** **
Kidney cancer 9 12 [9,17] 85 [69,94] ** **
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma 8 11 [8,14] 85 [68,95] ** **
Pancreatic cancer 7 10 [7,13] 7 [1,22] 6 9 [6,12]
Cervical cancer 7 10 [7,14] 72 [55,84] ** **
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 2015-2019.
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 2015-2019
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.