Release notice – Canadian Cancer Statistics 2021

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https://doi.org/10.24095/hpcdp.41.11.09

Just released!

Canadian Cancer Statistics 2021 was released on November 3, 2021.

This publication is produced through a collaboration between the Canadian Cancer Society, Statistics Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, with data provided by the provincial and territorial cancer registries. It provides current-year projected estimates of cancer incidence and mortality counts and rates by cancer type, sex, age group and geography. This publication also includes the probability of developing and dying from cancer, incidence and mortality trends over time, and net survival by cancer type, sex, age group, geography and time period.

Highlights include:

• Cancer remains the leading cause of death in Canada. An estimated 2 in 5 Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime and about 1 in 4 will die from cancer.
• In 2021, an estimated 229 200 Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer and 84 600 will die from cancer.
• Lung, breast, colorectal and prostate cancers are expected to remain the most commonly diagnosed cancers, accounting for 46% of all diagnoses in 2021. Melanoma cancer continues to increase, despite being a highly preventable cancer, while thyroid cancer is decreasing. 
• It is expected that the three leading causes of cancer death in 2021 will be lung cancer (25%), colorectal cancer (11%) and pancreatic cancer (7%). The death rate for lung cancer is declining, with the rate for females finally decreasing similarly to the rate for males.
• Current five-year net cancer survival is estimated to be 64% for all cancers combined.

Access or download the latest Canadian Cancer Statistics and related resources.