WATCH ABOVE: New numbers predict Alberta’s cancer rate will increase dramatically over the next 15 years. Su-Ling Goh breaks down the numbers.
EDMONTON — The Canadian Cancer Society says Alberta needs to prepare for a dramatic increase in cancer cases expected by 2030.
A new report says the number of diagnosed cases in the province is predicted to increase by about 60 per cent. The national average is 40 per cent.
The increase is largely due to expected population growth and the growing senior population. Nearly 90 per cent of all new cancer cases occur in people over 50.
“Overall, our population is aging and growing and this changing demographic is going to have a significant burden on our health care system,” explained Robert Nuttall, assistant director of cancer control policy for the Canadian Cancer Society.
An estimated 277,000 Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer in 2030, up from nearly 197,000 this year.
READ MORE: Cancer cases slated to climb 40 per cent by 2015: Canadian report warns
In Alberta, an estimated 28,140 will be diagnosed with cancer in 2030, up from approximately 17,000 this year.
The Cancer Society says the need for a new cancer centre in Calgary is desperate.
The facility is up in the air after the original project was cancelled and then replaced by then-premier Jim Prentice.
READ MORE: Government announces two-site model for Calgary cancer centre
The society stresses it’s expected the overall cancer survival rate will continue to improve because of ongoing advancements in prevention, screening and treatment.
“The good news is we’ve made tremendous progress and more Canadians are surviving cancer than ever before,” says Sarah Hawkins, Public Policy Analyst with the Canadian Cancer Society.
“But the results of our report show there has never been a more critical time for us to boost our efforts in the fight for life.
“A 60 per cent increase in cancer cases in Alberta will push us beyond our capacity to provide the care and support cancer patients deserve; it’s especially concerning for southern Alberta as the cancer care infrastructure in Calgary has been overcapacity and splintered across the city for a decade.”
Nuttall hopes the report serves as a wake-up call for all Canadians.
“We know about half of cancers can be prevented by not smoking, having a healthy body weight, being physically active and being safe in the sun,” he said.
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