Cancer Diagnoses In Young Australians On The Rise

According to the report Cancer in adolescents and young adults in Australia, released on 18th April 2018 by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), “more young Australians are being diagnosed with cancer, but survival prospects have improved markedly in this younger age group.”

Key findings

 In the period 2010-2014, more than 4,800 new cases of cancer were diagnosed in young Australians (aged 15-24) – an average of 2-3 diagnoses every day.

 Males contributed more than half (53%) of all cancers diagnosed in young Australians.

 Melanoma was the most commonly diagnosed cancer in young Australian accounting for 15% of all cancers diagnosed.

 In 2011-2015, brain cancer was the leading cause of cancer mortality in young Australians, accounting for 18% of all cancer deaths.

 In 2011-2015, 499 young Australians died from cancer. This means that, on average, an adolescent and young adult died from cancer every 3-4 days in Australia.

 In 2010-2014, young Australians diagnosed with cancer had, on average, an 89% chance of surviving for 5 years. Relative survival from all cancers combined for young Australians rose from 80% in 1985-1989 to 89% in 2010-2014, though changes in the 5-year relative survival varied between cancer types.

 The risk of developing a second cancer was 1.9 times as high in those initially diagnosed with cancer as a young person compared with the risks normally experienced by the general population.

 The report identified that examining cancer in adolescents and young adults was important because there is growing evidence that cancers in young people have a unique biology (Bleyer 2009; Tricoli et al. 2011) as well as recognition that young people with cancer have distinct medical, psychosocial, and information needs (Palmer & Thomas 2008)*. 

How insurance providers help

Most insurance providers offer some form of trauma or critical illness product, many of which provide a benefit in the event of cancer. 

Income protection policies can also assist where you are unable to work at full capacity or at all, for a period of time whilst recovering from treatment, providing an important source of continuing income. Other benefits may also provide important financial support such as the Crisis benefit which pays a lump sum equal to six times the monthly benefit in the event of cancer regardless of whether or not you are capable of returning to work. This lump sum is also paid tax free! (ATO ID 2004/942)*