Cancer in North Queensland

 

   

The CCQ region of North Queensland covers nearly one fifth of Queensland (17% or 294,000 km2), stretching from Townsville in the east to the Northern Territory border in the west. In 2019 it had a population of 274,438, which was 5.4% of Queensland’s total population.
 

The major population centres are Townsville, Mount Isa, Ingham and Charters Towers, with significant industries of the region including tourism, mining, cattle grazing and sugar cane farming.The nearest radiation treatment centre for cancer patients in North Queensland is Townsville. Additional radiation treatment centres are located in Cairns and Mackay (opened in 2019).

   

Region Characteristics (2019 data unless otherwise specified) North Queensland Queensland
Percent of population who…
… are female 49.5% 50.6%
… are aged 50 years and over 22.4% 22.7%
… are Indigenous (2016) 10.3% 4.6%
… speak another language at home 7.1% 12.1%
… live in remote areas 11.2% 2.0%
… live within 2 hours drive of radiation treatment 83.1% 89.5%
… live more than 6 hours drive from radiation treatment 8.7% 1.8%
… live in disadvantaged areas 22.3% 17.7%
… live in affluent areas 12.4% 18.8%
All Cancers* North Queensland Male Female Persons
Number of new cases per year 948 710 1658
Chance of diagnosis by age 80* 1 in 2.0 1 in 2.6 1 in 2.2
Median age at diagnosis 68 yrs 65 yrs 67 yrs
Five-year relative survival 67% 72% 69%
Number of deaths per year 299 191 491
Percent deaths before age 80 71% 68% 70%
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 North Queensland by sex, 2015 - 2019

Five-year relative survival in North Queensland 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 North Queensland

Colorectal Cancer Male Female Persons
Number of new cases per year 100 71 171
Chance of diagnosis by age 80* 1 in 14 1 in 21 1 in 17
Median age at diagnosis 68 yrs 70 yrs 69 yrs
Five-year relative survival 63% 68% 65%
Number of deaths per year 36 22 57
Percent deaths before age 80 70% 59% 66%
Lung Cancer Male Female Persons
Number of new cases per year 94 67 161
Chance of diagnosis by age 80* 1 in 15 1 in 20 1 in 17
Median age at diagnosis 70 yrs 69 yrs 70 yrs
Five-year relative survival 17% 28% 21%
Number of deaths per year 72 39 111
Percent deaths before age 80 76% 75% 76%
Melanoma Male Female Persons
Number of new cases per year 130 82 212
Chance of diagnosis by age 80* 1 in 11 1 in 20 1 in 14
Median age at diagnosis 65 yrs 59 yrs 63 yrs
Five-year relative survival 89% 94% 91%
Number of deaths per year 13 ** **
Percent deaths before age 80 67% 79% 69%
Female Breast Cancer Male Female Persons
Number of new cases per year . . . . . . 187 . . . . . .
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 . . . . . . 24 . . . . . .
Percent deaths before age 80 . . . . . . 75% . . . . . .
Prostate Cancer Male Female Persons
Number of new cases per year 239 . . . . . . . . . . . .
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 34 . . . . . . . . . . . .
Percent deaths before age 80 54% . . . . . . . . . . . .

More details on the top 10 cancers diagnosed in North Queensland

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 1658 577 [565,590] 69 [68,70] 491 173 [167,180]
Prostate cancer 239 n.a. 92 [90,94] 34 n.a.
Melanoma 212 75 [71,80] 91 [88,93] ** **
Female breast cancer 187 n.a. 92 [89,94] 24 n.a.
Colorectal cancer 171 60 [56,65] 65 [61,69] 57 20 [18,23]
Lung cancer 161 55 [52,59] 21 [18,25] 111 38 [35,42]
Kidney cancer 50 17 [15,20] 73 [65,79] ** **
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma 42 14 [13,17] 83 [76,89] 7 3 [2,4]
Thyroid cancer 34 12 [11,14] 100 [95,101] ** **
Bladder cancer 34 12 [10,14] 59 [50,67] 13 5 [3,6]
Pancreatic cancer 34 12 [10,14] 18 [12,25] 25 9 [7,11]
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 948 670 [651,690] 67 [66,69] 299 225 [213,237]
Prostate cancer 239 161 [152,171] 92 [90,94] 34 28 [24,32]
Melanoma 130 94 [87,102] 89 [85,92] 13 10 [8,13]
Colorectal cancer 100 72 [66,78] 63 [58,68] 36 27 [23,31]
Lung cancer 94 67 [61,74] 17 [13,21] 72 52 [47,58]
Kidney cancer 35 25 [21,29] 73 [64,80] 9 7 [5,9]
Bladder cancer 25 19 [15,22] 62 [52,72] 8 7 [5,9]
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma 24 16 [13,19] 83 [73,90] ** **
Liver cancer 20 14 [12,17] 19 [11,29] 11 8 [6,11]
Pancreatic cancer 18 13 [11,16] 12 [6,21] 14 11 [8,13]
Myelodysplastic diseases 17 13 [11,17] 37 [25,50] 6 5 [3,7]
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 710 491 [475,508] 72 [70,74] 191 129 [121,138]
Breast cancer 187 130 [122,139] 92 [89,94] 24 17 [14,20]
Melanoma 82 58 [52,64] 94 [91,97] ** **
Colorectal cancer 71 49 [44,54] 68 [62,74] 22 14 [12,17]
Lung cancer 67 45 [40,50] 28 [22,34] 39 26 [23,30]
Uterine cancer 28 19 [16,22] 82 [73,88] ** **
Thyroid cancer 24 18 [15,21] 100 [94,101] ** **
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma 19 13 [10,16] 84 [73,92] ** **
Pancreatic cancer 15 10 [8,13] 25 [15,35] 11 7 [5,9]
Kidney cancer 15 10 [8,13] 73 [59,83] ** **
Ovarian cancer 14 10 [8,13] 53 [39,65] 7 5 [3,7]
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 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.