Survival

In 2007–2014, Indigenous Australians diagnosed with cancer had a 50% chance, on average, of surviving five years compared to their counterparts in the Indigenous population. For non-Indigenous Australians, the five-year relative survival rate for all cancers combined was 65%.

Of the selected cancers, there were similar patterns in terms of the cancers with the highest and lowest survival rates. For Indigenous Australians diagnosed with cancer, those with thyroid cancer had the highest five-year relative survival (92%), followed by prostate cancer (86%) and breast cancer in females (81%). These cancers were also the highest ranked for five-year relative survival in non-Indigenous Australians.

Explore the data below for information on one-year and five-year relative survival by cancer type, sex and Indigenous status.

Life stage

In 2007–2014, the five-year relative survival for all cancers combined was highest for Indigenous Australians in life stage 0–14 and decreased with each subsequent life stage. For non-Indigenous Australians, five-year relative survival was highest for life stage 15-24 and then decreased with each subsequent life stage.

Explore the data below for information on one-year and five-year relative survival by cancer type, sex, Indigenous status and life stage.

Trend

For Indigenous Australians, five-year relative survival for all cancers combined was 47% in 1999–2006, compared to 50% in 2007–2014. For non-Indigenous Australians, five-year relative survival for all cancers combined was 58% in 1999–2006, compared to 65% in 2007–2014.

Explore the data below for information on one-year and five-year relative survival by cancer type, sex and Indigenous status.

Conditional survival

In 2007–2014, for Indigenous Australians, the prospect of surviving for at least 5 more years increased after having already survived for 1, 5, 10 and 15 years after a cancer diagnosis. At diagnosis, the prospect of surviving at least five years was 50% for all cancers combined. By one year after diagnosis, Indigenous Australians with cancer had a 71% chance, on average, of surviving at least 5 more years. By five years after diagnosis, Indigenous Australians had an 88% chance of surviving at least 5 more years. A similar pattern was observed for non-Indigenous Australians. The relationship varied by cancer type.

Explore the data below for information on conditional survival by cancer type, sex, Indigenous status and years already survived.