Australian Bureau of Statistics
Celebrating the International Year of Statistics 2013

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CANCER

Definition

This topic refers primarily to those ever told by a doctor or nurse they have cancer, and who consider they currently have cancer (including cancer in remission).

For the purposes of this survey, all cancer reported as current was regarded as being a long-term condition. Given the potential sensitivity of the topic, this was considered the most appropriate approach, although it was recognised that some cases of cancer may not meet the six month threshold (e.g. a person who is diagnosed with skin cancer and who has had surgery to successfully remove the cancer, could occur within a six month period).

Population

Information was obtained for all persons in the NHS survey.

Methodology

All respondents were asked whether they or anyone else regularly checks their skin for any changes in freckles or moles. They were then asked if they had ever been told by a doctor or nurse that they had cancer, and the type of cancer (including type of skin cancer) they had.

Predefined 'type of cancer' categories were included on the questionnaire, with provision for interviewers to record one additional type of cancer if required. The categories used were:

• skin (including melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma);
• colon/rectum/bowel;
• breast;
• prostate;
• lung (including trachea, pleura, bronchus);
• cervical;
• other female reproductive organs (including, uterus, ovary);
• bladder/kidney;
• stomach;
• leukaemia;
• non-hodgkin lymphoma;
• other type of lymphoma;
• cancer of unknown primary site; and,
• other (specified).

• melanoma;
• basal cell carcinoma;
• squamous cell carcinoma; and,
• other form of skin cancer.

• bowel (had a faecal occult blood test);
• breast (had a mammogram);
• cervical (had a pap smear); and,
• other.

• bowel (had a faecal occult blood test);
• prostate; and,
• other.

• Cases of cancer reported through the general questions about long-term conditions (rather than the specific cancer questions) have not necessarily been medically diagnosed, and may instead be other conditions. In particular, self-diagnosed skin cancer may be subject to misreporting;
• As noted above, current cancers were assumed to be long-term (of six months or more duration), whether or not this was actually the case; and,
• Because this is a household-based survey, people with cancer who are residents in hospitals, nursing or convalescent homes or similar accommodation were outside the scope of this survey.
• There were no prompt cards used to show the type of cancer test respondents may have had, therefore some respondents may have had a test for cancer but not realised this and thus did not report it.
• The prevalence of most long-term illness increases with age. In drawing comparisons of prevalence between the surveys, account should be taken of the shift in the age profile of the population during the period between surveys. As a result of this Table 1 in the Australian Health Survey: First Results has been age standardised so that direct comparisons can be made.