Less Patients Survive Cancer in NZ Than In Australia

Research from Auckland University presented at the World Cancer Congress in Melbourne recently revealed that 750 New Zealanders who die from cancer annually might have survived if they lived in Australia.

The number represents a gap in the cancer mortality rate of about ten per cent between Australia and New Zealand, which is not an improvement from 12 years ago when Otago University first identified the difference.

Auckland University Professor Mark Elwood said that over time, mortality rates had dropped significantly in both countries and survival rates had increased, yet this difference in outcomes for New Zealand cancer patients compared to those in Australia had not changed.

A key finding was that the gap between the countries is most pronounced in the first year after diagnosis. Professor Elwood said this suggested there are specific issues with cancer patients' primary care.

“It’s a significant gap that could be attributed to a range of factors, but the biggest difference recorded in that first year would indicate there are issues related to the speed of diagnosis for New Zealanders and the management of the disease within primary care rather than any difference in treatment standards," he said.

“In the past few years we have seen changes in the health system to close the gap, and we would hope to see that reflected in future studies.”

The study compared cancer survival for Australian patients diagnosed in 2006-2010 and 2000-2005, compared to those in New Zealand using data from each country’s national cancer registration and mortality systems. Cancer survival means relative cancer survival and was assessed at one, five and 10 years from diagnosis.

The study's findings were not explained by age differences between the patient population