Fast facts about the most common men’s cancers in Australia

There are over 200 types of cancer that can affect men. Prostate, bowel, melanoma and lung cancer are the most common types of cancers in Australian men. It is estimated that over 74,000 Australian men will be diagnosed with cancer this year.

Today is the last day of September, a month where we focus on the impact that cancer has on Australian men, their families and friends. To raise awareness of the most common cancers affecting Australian men, we’ve compiled a few interesting statistics:

Prostate cancer statistics

• Prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in Australian men.
• The risk of developing prostate cancer before the age of 85 is 1 in 5.
• The five-year survival rate is 92 percent.

Bowel cancer statistics

• In 2009, the risk of developing bowel cancer before the age of 85 was 1 in 12.
• The five-year survival rate for bowel cancer is 66.2 percent.
• Bowel cancer is considered one of the most treatable cancers, if detected early, however, it remains the third highest cancer killer in men.

Skin cancer and melanoma statistics

• From 1982 to 2010 melanoma diagnoses increased by around 60%.
• In 2011, 2087 people died from skin cancer in Australia. The majority of these deaths were due to melanoma, with 1544 deaths from melanoma that year, compared with 543 deaths from non-melanoma skin cancers.
• More than 374,000 Australians annually are diagnosed with basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma. Melanoma incidence in Australia and New Zealand is four times higher than in Canada, UK and US.
• Melanoma is the most common cancer in young Australians aged 15–39 years old.

Lung cancer statistics

• In 2009, lung cancer was the 5th most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia.
• Lung cancer is most commonly diagnosed in people aged 65-79.
• In 2010, lung cancer was the most common cause of cancer death for men.
• The five-year survival rate for lung cancer is 14.1 percent.

Donate Now To Help Outsmart Men’s Cancers

These aren’t the only cancers affecting Australian men, just a few of over 200. Right now, one in two men will be diagnosed with cancer before the age 85 — you can change this.

When you donate to the Australian Cancer Research Foundation (ACRF), you are providing critical support, which provides world-class scientists with equipment to pursue their research initiatives. We award grants to projects with the power to improve prevention, detection and treatment of all types of cancer.

Together we can make these statistics history and outsmart cancer for good.