MELBOURNE’S western suburbs continue to be over-represented in diagnoses and deaths from cancer, state Altona MP Jill Hennessy says.
The claims come as Cancer Council Victoria figures show that from 2008-10, cancer claimed 392 lives in the state electorate of Williamstown and 261 in the Altona seat, with more deaths recorded among men than women.
In the three years, there were 880 cases of cancer diagnosed in the Williamstown electorate and 632 in Altona.
Lung cancer was the leading type of cancer-causing death in Hobsons Bay in the three years.
During the period, there were 76 deaths from lung cancer in the electorate of Williamstown, which covers the suburbs of Altona East, Brooklyn, Newport, Seaholme, Spotswood, Williamstown and Williamstown North, and parts of the suburbs of Altona, Altona North and Yarraville.
There were 57 lung cancer deaths in the seat of Altona, which covers Altona, Altona Meadows, Laverton, Laverton North, Point Cook and
parts of Altona North and Hoppers Crossing.
Bowel cancer was the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths, with 60 in Williamstown and 39 in Altona.
This was followed by 30 deaths each from breast and prostate cancer in Williamstown and 20 deaths from breast cancer in Altona.
There were 20 leukaemia deaths in Williamstown, while Altona had none. Altona had eight melanoma deaths while Williamstown had none.
Ms Hennessy said statistics in the 2011 Victorian Cancer Registry compiled for the Cancer Council Victoria showed the cancer mortality rate for western suburbs residents was higher than across the rest of metropolitan Melbourne.
“The Western Health annual report also indicates our local community suffers from high rates of cancer,” she said. “Early diagnosis and cancer prevention strategies could improve the local health outlook. The west continues to suffer from over-representation in cancer statistics.
“We need to increase investment in research and in health to encourage a change in lifestyles and to implement prevention strategies.”
Cancer Council Victoria CEO Todd Harper said eating healthy food, drinking less alcohol, regular exercise and being SunSmart helped to reduce people’s cancer risk. “Two out of three Victorians diagnosed with cancer now survive beyond five years, but even more lives could be saved by making lifestyle choices which minimise our cancer risk.
“In Victoria, the highest cancer diagnoses are of prostate, bowel and breast cancers.”
