Public Health in Australia Effect of Cancer †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Effect of cancer on Australias population. Answer: Introduction Cancer is a leading cause of death in the Australian continent. According to AIWA when all forms of cancer are combined together, the incidence rate increases from 383 per 100,000 in 1982 to 504 per 100,000, which then declined to 470 per 100,000 in 2017. It has been estimated that the most common form of cancer that affects the Australian population in 2017 is breast cancer which is seen in mostly females, and then it is followed by colorectal cancer and prostate cancer. The breast cancer is the form of cancer begins in the breast tissue due to the abnormal functioning of cells (About Breast Cancer, 2017). When cells get damaged or grow old, they are substituted by new cells, but sometimes this process goes wrong and the cells get generated unnecessarily and the old cells begin building up. This built up gives rise to a lump or tumor which could be cancerous or non- cancerous in nature. Breast cancer in Australia - Health statistics On an average 48 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each day in the nation as per AIHW. It has been estimated that in 2017, a total of 17, 786 new cases of breast cancer would be diagnosed in Australia and 3,087 females would lose their battle to the disease (Cancer Australia, 2017). Appendix 1 shows that in 2020, the number would drop to 17,210. It has been forecasted that 144 cases of breast cancer in men would be diagnosed in the year (Cancer Australia, 2017). The incidence of breast cancer heightens with age of an individual. It has been estimated that in this year, 21% of the new breast cancer cases would be diagnosed in women who are younger than 50 years and about 42% cases would be diagnosed in women over 65 years (Cancer Australia, 2017). The incidence rate and mortality rate of cancer indigenous Australian population is higher as compared to that of the non- indigenous Australian population due to factors like smoking, alcohol consumption, lifestyle choice, etc. Since they have poor access to healthcare, medical ailments are diagnosed at a late stage which increases chances of mortality. Burden of breast cancer (DALY/YLL) for Australian population The burden of breast cancer is a vital tool that can be used to assess and compare the fatal and non-fatal effect of the medical condition among a particular population group. The extent of the burden of the disease would include premature death (YLL) and disease, disability or injury (YLD). In case of breast cancer, the reasons for the loss of healthy life due to disability would include side-effects from chemotherapy, hormone therapy, etc. (Dylke Kilbreath, 2015). The early diagnosis of the condition would surely help a person to fight against breast cancer so that her health condition could improve. Health policies to fight Breast Cancer Breast mammography has been introduced for some time since it acts as a reliable and effective tool that detects almost 90% of breast cancer cases. At various locations all across the continent, BreastScreen Australia runs a frequent screening program for females over 40 years so that their breases can be examined and the chances of cancer can be controlled (Lombard et al., 2015). The early detection of the cancer is one of the most effective methods to fight it from spreading and causing the death of a person. Thus the government encourages regular check-ups and spreads knowledge on the disease so that people can improve their lifestyle. Skin Cancer Skin cancer refers to another form of cancer that occurs when the skill cells become mutilated or damaged due to a number of reasons like overexposure to UV rays, sunburn, etc. There are basically 3 types of skin cancer namely basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. The first two are known as non-melanoma skin cancer (Lombard et al., 2015). In Australia about two third of the population are diagnosed with skin cancer by the time the reach the age of 70 (Cancer Australia, 2017). The non-melanoma skin cancer is more common in men and it is almost double the incidence as compared to females. As compared to breast cancer, this form of cancer is more common in men. The skin cancer is almost removal in most of the cases. In the most advanced situations, some of the surrounding tissue might have to be removed so that all cancerous cells can be eliminated or removed. The most common treatment is surgery but a few common skin cancers can be treated worth ointment or radiotherapy. Conclusion Thus cancer has been growing at a fast pace in the island country and has increased the mortality rate. Breast cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer that can be controlled if routine checks and screening are conducted by the female population. It is vital to note that breast cancer does not spare men and in some cases men are diagnosed with breast cancer. The skin cancer which is another common form of cancer prevalent on Australia has been included. It is vital to prevent both the forms of cancer breast cancer and skin cancer so that the population can lead a healthy life. References About Breast Cancer. (2017). https://www.abcr.com.au. Retrieved 1 August 2017, from https://www.abcr.com.au/about/about-breast-cancer/ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer statistics | Cancer Australia. (2017). Canceraustralia.gov.au. Retrieved 1 August 2017, from https://canceraustralia.gov.au/affected-cancer/atsi/cancer-statistics Dylke, E. S., Kilbreath, S. (2015). Current rehabilitation processes do not prevent long-term impairments after treatment for breast cancer in Australia. Australian family physician, 44(6), 405. Lombard, J. M., Zdenkowski, N., Wells, K., Grant, N., Reaby, L., Forbes, J. F., Chirgwin, J. (2015). Abstract P1-12-05: Aromatase inhibitor induced musculoskeletal syndrome (AIMSS) in Australian women with early breast cancer: An Australia and New Zealand Breast Cancer Trials Group (ANZBCTG) survey of members of the Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA).