Exploring statistical cancer rates in Canada, Ontario and Simcoe Muskoka

Significant advances have been made in cancer care, so that even when cure is not feasible, many cancers can be controlled and managed for long periods of time. Many practitioners consider patients being treated for some types of cancer as living with a chronic condition. However, these patients require ongoing therapy to control their condition, and this treatment now often takes the form of oral drugs that patients can administer themselves - much like people with diabetes or high blood pressure (Pizzoli et al, 2019).

According to the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) (2020) approximately 225,800 new cancer cases will develop and approximately 83,300 cancer deaths will occur. These statics does not include non-melanoma skin cancer cases as indicated by the (CCS, 2020).

To further breakdown the prevalence of cancer between women and men in 2020 from the Canadian Cancer Society statistics:

• In Canadian, 115,800 of men will be diagnosed of cancer; with 44,100 men dying from cancer.

• In Canadian 110,000 of women will be diagnosed of cancer; with 39,300 women dying from cancer.

• It is estimated that 617 Canadians will be diagnosed daily.

• It is estimated that 28 Canadians will die from this disease daily.
  

The most commonly types of cancers to be diagnosed are: Lung, Breast, Colorectal and Prostate CCS (2020).

• These 4 types of cancers represent 48% of all new cancer cases.

• Lung Cancer: accounts for 14% of new cases;

• Breast Cancer: accounts for 25% of new cases in women;

• Colorectal Cancer: accounts for 12% of new cases; and

• Prostate Cancer: accounts for 20% of new cases.

The probability of acquiring a diagnosis of cancer or dying from cancer according to CCS (2020)

• 1 in 2 Canadians (45% men and 43% women) are expected to develop cancer in ones lifetime.

• 1 in 4 Canadians (26% men and 23% women) are expected to die from cancer.

Survival rate vary based on the type of cancer diagnoses and stage of diagnoses.

• Based on the data from 2012-2014, according to CCS (2020), 63% of Canadians diagnosed with have a survival rate for 5 years or more.

• Lung Cancer: expected 5 year survival rate is 19%

• Breast Cancer: expected 5 year survival rate is 88%

• Colorectal Cancer: expected 5 year survival rate is 65%

• Prostate Cancer: expected 5 year survival rate is 93%

Looking at Cancer rates in Ontario

According to Cancer Care Ontario (CCO, 2020) in 2016 nearly 81,409 new cases of cancer were reported in Ontario. This was and increase of 175% since 1981 (29,649 cases). This was contributed to:

• 94% from aging population;

• 67% from population growth;

• 14% from changes in risk factors and cancer control practices.

CCO (2020) also identified, in Ontario 1 in 2 people will develop cancer in their lifetime (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers.

• Among males: Prostate (1 in 8), Lung (1 in 12), and Colorectal (1 in 14) cancers.

• Among females: Breast (1 in 8), Lung (1 in 14) and Colorectal (1 in 17) cancers.

The CCO (2020) statistics report elaborates on further breakdown of various cancers and rates. Please look further .

In further examining the cancer incidents for Simcoe Muskoka area, as evident from the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, there are approximately 3,458 cases in the area.

While, I do not work with the childhood cancers, I have added some generalized statistics reports

Childhood Cancers from kids cancer care (2020)

• Primary disease killer from age 6 months to young adulthood.

• They occur regularly, randomly and spares no ethic group, socioeconomic class or geographic region.

• Most childhood cancer cancers are still unknown and are not linked to lifestyle and environmental risk factors.

• Incidence of childhood cancer is between the first 5 years of life ( 0-4 years old).

• Most common cancer between 0-4 years of age is neuroblastomas, than leukemias and central nervous system tumours.

• In Canada, 83% of children diagnosed with cancer will survive.

• Over 75% of children who survive live with permanent side effects, which include: deafness, blindness, growth issues, motor impairments, cognitive impairments, organ failure, heart/kidney/fertility issues, psychological, neurological and endocrine disorders.

• High-cancers: CNS, leukemias, neuroblstomas and bone cancers have low survival rates 7% to 31%.

• Childhood cancers are considerably underfunded, accounting for 5% of all cancer research funding in Canada.

• In Canada, it is estimated 1,400 children are diagnosed with cancer.

• 1 in 5 Canadian children with cancer will not survive