Published 30 Jun, 2021

Between 2014 and 2018, 3,345 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people died due to cancer.

Cancer mortality refers to deaths occurring during a specified time period for which the underlying cause is cancer.

Reliable data on cancer deaths among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are not available nationally. All state and territory cancer registries collect information on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status. However, the quality of data in some jurisdictions is regarded as insufficient for inclusion in national mortality analyses. 

Cancer was the leading cause of death among Aboriginal and Torres Strait people in 2014–2018, contributing to around one in five deaths in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population in New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory.1,2 Between 2014 and 2018, 1,773 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and 1,572 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women died from cancer in these five states and territories. This equates to about 225 per 100,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people dying due to cancer (age standardised rate).

The most common cause of cancer death among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in 2014–2018 was lung cancer, accounting for one quarter of cancer-related deaths.1,2

 

Charts
  • Notes
    • Data sourced from AIHW
    • Data shown for 'Indigenous' and 'Total' are for NSW, Qld, WA, SA and NT only.
    • 'Total' age group includes counts of deaths with unknown age. However, deaths with unknown age were excluded from calculations of rates.
    • Rates are calculated using the sum of estimated resident populations at 30 June for 2014–2018. The rates given for age groups are age-specific rates per 100,000. The rates given for 'Total' are age-standardised rates per 100,000, standardised against the 2001 Australian Standard Population.
    • Rates are not published where there were fewer than 5 people.
    Table caption
    Age-specific mortality for all cancers combined and for selected cancers, by sex, 2014-2018

This measure presents cancer mortality data for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples from New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory for the years 2014 to 2018.1,2

For comparisons across the broader Australian population by cancer type, see the NCCI ‘Cancer mortality’.

Barriers and Opportunities

Information about how many people die and what caused their death can provide important insights into the overall health status of a population.3 It can also highlight disparities in outcomes from different diseases and health conditions that require targeted strategies and action.

About one-third of cancer deaths in Australia are preventable.4  Every year in Australia, more than 13,000 cancer deaths are due to tobacco smoking, sun exposure, unhealthy diet, risky drinking of alcohol, not enough exercise or being overweight. Among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the health gap is compounded by the interaction between cancer risk factors and social and cultural determinants of health.5

The Optimal care pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer6 highlights the importance of increasing awareness among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of modifiable cancer risk factors and providing encouragement and support to reduce their risk.

A range of other factors contribute to cancer deaths among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The Optimal care pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer6 also highlights the importance of timely diagnosis of cancer as well as provision of culturally safe services and a culturally competent workforce as key factors in improving cancer outcomes.

Limited data are available on cancer mortality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, due to differences in consistency of recording. Mortality data are regarded to be of sufficient consistency for five jurisdictions: New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. The data provided here for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are sourced from these five jurisdictions.

All cancers combined (ICD-10 codes C00–C97, D45–D46, D47.1, D47.3–D47.5)

In the period 2014-2018, there were 3,345 deaths from cancer among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (1,773 in males and 1,572 in females). The age-standardised mortality rate for all cancers combined was 225.0 deaths per 100,000 persons, 270.6 deaths per 100,000 for males and 191.4 deaths per 100,000 for females.1

In the same period, the age-specific mortality rate for all cancers combined increased with increasing age.1

Choose a cancer type below for further information:

In the period 2014–2018, there were 50 deaths from bladder cancer among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (33 in males and 17 in females). The age-standardised mortality rate for bladder cancer was 5.1 deaths per 100,000 persons, 9.7 deaths per 100,000 males, and 2.4 deaths per 100,000 females).1

In the same period, the age-specific mortality rate for bladder cancer tended to increase with age.1 However, due to the small numbers of cancer deaths reported for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by age, caution is advised when interpreting age differences.

In the period 2014–2018, there were 49 deaths from brain cancer among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (28 in males and 21 in females). The age-standardised mortality rate for brain cancer was 2.5 deaths per 100,000 persons, 3.0 deaths per 100,000 males and 2.0 deaths per 100,000 females.1

Due to the small number of brain cancers reported for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by age, caution is advised when interpreting age differences.

In the period 2014–2018, there were 189 deaths from breast cancer among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander females, corresponding to an age-standardised mortality rate of 21.9 deaths per 100,000 females.1

In the same period, the age-specific mortality rate for breast cancer increased with age for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander females, with the 85 years or older age group having the highest mortality rate of 244.5 deaths per 100,000.1

In the period 2014–2018, there were 66 deaths from cervical cancer among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander females. The age-standardised mortality rate for cervical cancer was 6.8 deaths per 100,000 females.1

In the same period, the age-specific mortality rate for cervical cancer increased with age for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander females. Age-specific mortality rates were highest among females aged between 65 and 84 years.1 Due to the small number of cervical cancers reported for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by age, caution is advised when interpreting age differences.  

In the period 2014–2018, there were 256 deaths from colorectal cancer among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (140 in males and 116 in females). The age-standardised mortality rate for colorectal cancer was 18.2 deaths per 100,000 persons, 21.1 deaths per 100,000 males and 15.8 deaths per 100,000 females.

In the same period, the age-specific mortality rate for colorectal cancer generally increased with age,1 with higher rates for males than females.1

In the period 2014–2018, there were 79 deaths from colon cancer among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (40 in males and 39 in females). The age-standardised mortality rate for colon cancer was 6.1 deaths per 100,000 persons, 6.5 deaths per 100,000 males and 5.6 deaths per 100,000 females.1

In the same period, the age-specific mortality rate for colon cancer generally increased with increasing age, although due to the small number of cancers reported for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by age, caution is advised when interpreting age differences.1

In the period 2014–2018, there were 119 deaths from rectal cancer among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (72 in males and 47 in females). The age-standardised mortality rate for rectal cancer was 7.9 deaths per 100,000 persons, 10.7 deaths per 100,000 males and 5.8 deaths per 100,000 females).1

In the same period, the age-specific mortality rate for rectal cancer generally increased with age and was generally higher in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males compared to females.1

In the period 2014–2018, there were 209 deaths from head and neck cancers among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (159 in males and 50 in females). The age-standardised mortality rate for head and neck cancers was 11.1 deaths per 100,000 persons, 17.5 deaths per 100,000 males and 5.7 deaths per 100,000 females.1

In the same period, the age-specific mortality rate for head and neck cancers generally increased with age. Males had mortality rates three to four times higher than females for most age groups reported (e.g., for ages 65-74 years, 68.7 compared to 17.7 per 100,000 for males and females respectively).1

In the period 2014–2018, there were 235 deaths liver from cancer among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (147 in males and 88 in females). The age-standardised mortality rate for liver cancer was 14.8 deaths per 100,000 persons, 21.5 deaths per 100,000 males and 9.7 deaths per 100,000 females.1

In the same period, the age-specific mortality rate for liver cancer generally increased with age. Age-specific mortality rates were higher among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males than females, generally around two times higher.1

In the period 2014–2018, there were 875 deaths from lung cancer among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (486 in males and 389 in females). The age-standardised mortality rate for lung cancer was 56.8 deaths per 100,000 persons. The age-standardised rate was 70.5 deaths per 100,000 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males and 46.0 deaths per 100,000 for females.

In the same period, the age-specific mortality rate for lung cancer increased with age, with males generally having higher mortality rates than females for each age group reported.1

In the period 2014–2018, there were 29 deaths from melanoma among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (19 in males and 10 in females). The age-standardised mortality rate for melanoma of the skin was 2.1 deaths per 100,000 persons, 3.2 deaths per 100,000 males and 1.4 deaths per 100,000 females.1

Due to the small number of deaths from skin melanomas reported, caution is advised when interpreting these data, especially by age.

In the period 2014–2018, there were 65 deaths from non-Hodgkin lymphoma among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (39 in males and 26 in females). The age-standardised mortality rate for non-Hodgkin lymphoma was 4.7 deaths per 100,000 persons, 7.5 deaths per 100,000 males and 2.7 deaths per 100,000 females.1

In the same period, the age-specific mortality rates for non-Hodgkin lymphoma appeared to increase with age1, but due to the small number of these cancers reported, caution is advised when interpreting these data, especially by age.

In the period 2014–2018, there were 125 deaths from oesophageal cancer among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (97 in males and 28 in females). The age-standardised mortality rate for oesophageal cancer was 7.0 deaths per 100,000 persons, 11.1 deaths per 100,000 males and 3.4 deaths per 100,000 females.1

In the same period, the age-specific mortality rates for oesophageal cancer increased with age under 85 years of age, and were higher in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males than females across all age groups .1

In the period 2014–2018, there were 40 deaths from ovarian cancer among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander females, with an age-standardised mortality rate of 4.7 deaths per 100,000 females.1

In the same period, the age-specific mortality rate for ovarian cancer tended to increase with age. Due to the small number of ovarian cancer deaths reported, caution is advised when interpreting age-specific differences.

In the period 2014–2018, there were 216 deaths from pancreatic cancer among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (104 in males and 112 in females). The age-standardised mortality rate for pancreatic cancer was 13.8 deaths per 100,000 persons, 13.9 deaths per 100,000 males and 13.5 deaths per 100,000 females.1

In the same period, the age-specific mortality rate for pancreatic cancer increased with age in the age range under 85 years.1 Mortality rates were similar in males and females across most age groups.1

In the period 2014–2018, there were 96 deaths from prostate cancer among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males, with an age-standardised mortality rate of 24.8 deaths per 100,000 males.1

In the same period, the age-specific mortality rate for prostate cancer increased with older age. Age-specific mortality rates were highest among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males aged 75 years or over.1

In the period 2014–2018, there were 223 deaths from cancers of unknown primary site among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (122 in males and 101 in females). The age-standardised mortality rate for cancer of unknown primary site was 16.8 deaths per 100,000 persons, 19.1 deaths per 100,000 males and 14.7 deaths per 100,000 females.1

In the same period, the age-specific mortality rate for cancer of unknown primary site increased with age.1 Age-specific mortality rates were generally higher among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males than females.1

In the period 2014–2018, there were 39 deaths from uterine cancer among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander females, with an age-standardised mortality rate of 5.0 deaths per 100,000 females.1

Due to the small number of uterine cancer deaths reported, differences by age were difficult to interpret, although in general, an increase in mortality rates was suggested with increasing age.

Data sources

The major source of cancer mortality data in Australia is the National Mortality Database (NMD). The NMD is compiled by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) using data from the state and territory Registries of Births, Deaths and Marriages and the National Coronial Information System, coded by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Cases vs rates

Cancer mortality data can be presented as absolute numbers of deaths or as rates per 100,000 people. Mortality rates are often age-standardised to enable comparisons across different populations that may have different age profiles, as the likelihood of death from cancer generally increases with age.5 Australian mortality data are age-standardised to the Australian population as at 30 June 2001 and are expressed per 100,000 population.

For example:1

  • number of deaths: in 2014–2018, 875 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people died from lung cancer
  • age-standardised mortality rate: in 2014–2018, the age-standardised mortality rate for lung cancer among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people was 56.8 deaths per 100,000 people.

Age-specific rates are used to compare cancer mortality in specific age groups. For example:1

  • the mortality rate for lung cancer is over three times higher in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men aged 55–64 years compared with women in the same age group (24.9 per 100,000 men compared with 7.5 per 100,000 women).

Cancer types

Cancer mortality data are made available by the AIHW for individual cancer types and cancer groupings using ICD-10 categories.7 Unlike cancer incidence data, cancer mortality data include basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas of the skin.

All Australian states and territories have legislation that makes cancer a notifiable disease. Various designated bodies, i.e., institutions such as hospitals, pathology laboratories and registries of births, deaths and marriages, are required to report cancer cases and deaths to their jurisdictional cancer registries.

Mortality data up to 2014 are based on the year of occurrence of the death, and data for 2015 are based on the year of registration of the death. The reason for using death registrations rather than occurrence of death for 2015 was to gain the best estimates in advance of all deaths being counted at the time of data extraction.

Deaths registered in 2015 and earlier are based on the final version of cause of death classification, whereas deaths registered in 2016 are based on the revised version and deaths registered in 2017 and 2018 are based on preliminary versions. Revised and preliminary versions are subject to further revisions by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Reliable national data on cancer mortality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are not available nationally. All state and territory cancer registries collect information on Indigenous status; however, in some jurisdictions the consistency of Indigenous status data differs and have not been included in national mortality analyses. Information on Indigenous status is considered to be sufficiently consistent for inclusion of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Data for these five jurisdictions therefore are used in this report to indicate mortality from cancer in Australia.1

Age standardisation

Australian mortality data are age-standardised to the Australian population as at 30 June 2001 and are expressed per 100,000 population.

More information

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identification in national cancer data

Cancer screening

Optimal care pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cancer Framework

Activity in this area

Policy

Cancer Australia. National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cancer Framework. 2015 Available from: https://www.canceraustralia.gov.au/publications-and-resources/cancer-australia-publications/national-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-cancer-framework

Cancer Australia. Optimal Care Pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer. 2018 Available from: https://canceraustralia.gov.au/publications-and-resources/cancer-australia-publications/optimal-care-pathway-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-people-cancer

National Indigenous Australians Agency. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework. 2020 Available from: https://indigenoushpf.gov.au/

 

Data

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Australian Cancer Mortality and Mortality (ACIM) books provide mortality rates for other cancer types (http://www.aihw.gov.au/acim-books/).

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2018. Cancer in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of Australia. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/cancer/cancer-in-indigenous-australians/contents/table-of-contents 

 

References

1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2019. Deaths in Australia. Cat no. PHE 229. Canberra: AIHW.

2. Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council, 2017, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework 2017 Report, AHMAC, Canberra.

3. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2019. Cancer in Australia 2019. Cancer series no.119. Cat. no. CAN 123. Canberra: AIHW

4. Cancer Council Australia (2014). What is cancer?. [Accessed May 2020]; Available at: http://www.cancer.org.au/about-cancer/what-is-cancer/

5. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2018. Cancer in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of Australia. Canberra: AIHW. [Accessed May 2020]; Available at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/cancer/cancer-in-indigenous-australians/contents/table-of-contents 

6. Cancer Australia. National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cancer Framework. Sydney, 2015 [Accessed May 2020]; Available at: https://www.canceraustralia.gov.au/publications-and-resources/cancer-australia-publications/national-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-cancer-framework

7. Department of Health, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2013–2023, Australian Government, Canberra, 2015 [Accessed May 2020]; Available at: https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/natsih-plan

Summary

Between 2012 and 2016 2,917 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people deaths were attributed to cancer

In the period 2012–2016, there were 2,917 deaths from cancer among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (1,518 males and 1,399 females). The age-standardised mortality rate for all cancers combined was 234.5 deaths per 100,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The age-standardised cancer mortality rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is higher for males than females

In the period 2012-2016, the age-standardised mortality rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people was 268.0 deaths per 100,000 for males compared to 209.0 deaths per 100,000 for females.

In this Measure

Other measures in this indicator

Recurrence
5-year cancer survival