Cancer Epidemic in Canada
Every 3 minutes another Canadian is diagnosed with cancer. Whether it’s someone’s husband or wife, mom or dad, sister or brother, son or daughter, we all know someone who’s been touched by cancer.
This year, more than 173,000 cases of cancer will be diagnosed. More than 76,000 Canadians will die of the disease.
The numbers are staggering. So it’s no surprise that cancer is the leading cause of death in Canada.
Although there are more than 200 different kinds of cancer, only three types of the disease account for the majority of new cancer cases for both men and women.
| CANCER INCIDENCE RATES |
| WOMEN |
MEN |
| Breast |
23,400 |
Prostate |
25,500 |
| Lung |
12,200 |
Lung |
13,200 |
| Colorectal |
9,700 |
Colorectal |
12,500 |
Source: Canadian Cancer Statistics 2011
THE FACE OF CANCER
Although we know that no one is immune to cancer, the risk does increase with age. About 42% of new cancer cases and 59% of cancer deaths strike Canadians age 70 and older.
Excluding lung cancer, the overall cancer mortality rate has dropped by 20% for women since 1981. Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women.
Mortality is declining for males in most age groups and for females under 70 years of age.