AIHW reports increase in long-term cancer survival rates
08 Oct 2025
New data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) shows that the chances of surviving cancer for more than five years after diagnosis have improved significantly over the past few decades.
The AIHW report, Cancer data in Australia, found that the five-year relative survival rate — the percentage of people who live at least five years after a cancer diagnosis compared with the general population of the same age and sex — has increased from 50% in 1987–1991 to 72% in 2017–2021.
The report also shows that age-standardised cancer mortality rates have dropped from 257 deaths per 100,000 people in 2000 to around 194 per 100,000 in 2025.
For the most common cancers, survival rates have improved even more. Prostate cancer survival for men rose from 60% to 96%, while breast cancer survival for women increased from 75% to 93%.
However, the number of cancer diagnoses among younger adults is rising. For people in their 30s, cases increased from 121 to 135 per 100,000, mainly due to colorectal cancer. Among people aged 40–49, cases went up from 280 to 313 per 100,000, largely driven by thyroid cancer. Melanoma diagnoses have also increased from 54 to 63 cases per 100,000 in the past 25 years.
Despite the rise in cases, mortality in these age groups has decreased. Deaths among people in their 40s fell from 60 to 37 per 100,000, and among those in their 30s, from 18 to 11 per 100,000 between 2000 and 2025.
The AIHW reports that almost one million Australians have had a cancer diagnosis in the past decade, with around 170,000 new cases expected this year.
This data highlights both progress in cancer survival and the need for continued attention to early detection and prevention, particularly for younger Australians.
Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW)
