Better Cancer Outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, but Gaps Remain
16 Jul 2026
According to the AIHW Cancer data in Australia report, the age-adjusted cancer incidence rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people fell from 342 cases per 100,000 people in 2011 to an estimated 315 cases per 100,000 in 2025.
Cancer mortality has also declined over the same period, dropping from 148 deaths per 100,000 people to 105 deaths per 100,000 people. The reduction in cancer deaths has been greater than that seen among non-Indigenous Australians.
Despite this progress, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are still more likely to be diagnosed with cancers that have lower survival rates, including lung and liver cancer.
AIHW spokesperson Justin Harvey said First Nations people are twice as likely as non-Indigenous Australians to develop cancers with lower survival rates.
In 2025, there were an estimated 3,600 new cancer cases and 1,200 cancer deaths among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Lung cancer remained the most commonly diagnosed cancer, followed by prostate, breast, bowel and melanoma of the skin.
Lung cancer was also the leading cause of cancer death, accounting for around 26% of all cancer deaths in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The report also found that rare and less common cancers were diagnosed more often in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In 2025, they made up 30% of cancer diagnoses, compared with around 25% among non-Indigenous Australians.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women continue to face a higher burden of cervical cancer. While cervical cancer ranks as the 20th leading cause of cancer death among Australian women overall, it is estimated to be the seventh leading cause among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.
The RACGP National guide to preventive healthcare of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people says these findings reflect ongoing health inequities across Australia. It highlights the need to improve access to screening, early diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care.
The guide also states that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities should lead local cancer prevention and management efforts, supported by holistic, strengths-based and trauma-informed approaches that improve health and wellbeing.
Justin Harvey said the report provides the most detailed picture of cancer among First Nations people to date, helping identify where disparities are greatest and where targeted action can have the biggest impact.
Better Cancer Outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, but Gaps Remain
Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW)