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Cancer: what are the odds?
Health and wellness newsletter
For most of us, cancer tops the list of feared diseases. It is the second leading
cause of death in Canada, after cardiovascular disease. However, the odds of
avoiding or surviving it are in your favour when you consider the following factors.
Common types of cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is the deadliest of all cancers,
responsible for close to one-third of
cancer deaths.
The incidence of lung cancer is directly
proportional to the ratio of smokers in the
population, with a time lag of 20 to 25 years. Ten
years after you quit smoking, it is estimated that
your risk of developing lung cancer is cut in half.
If you quit smoking for twenty years, your risk is
about equal to that of a non-smoker.
Skin cancer
The incidence skin cancers has been increasing
over the past decades. It is estimated that one in
every five Americans will be affected.
It was estimated that 74,100 new cases of skin
cancer cases occurred in Canada in 2011, including
approximately 5,500 diagnoses of melanoma—a
highly malignant skin cancer. However, only about
950 deaths resulted from skin cancer in Canada in
the same year.
Colorectal cancer
Colorectal cancer—which occurs most
frequently in individuals over age 50—starts
in glandular cells in the colon or rectum. Since
2000, the incidence of colorectal cancer has
significantly declined.
Cancer: what are the odds 01/02
Type of cancer
Sex
Lifetime risk (%)
Lifetime risk of death (%)
Breast
Women
11.3 (1 in 8.9)
3.4 (1 in 29.2)
Colorectal
Men
7.5 (1 in 13.3)
3.6 (1 in 27.7)
Women
6.4 (1 in 15.7)
3.1 (1 in 32.3)
Men
8.7 (1 in 11.4)
8 (1 in 12.5)
Women
6.7 (1 in 14.9)
5.7 (1 in 17.4)
Men
14.2 (1 in 7)
3.6 (1 in 27.8)
Lung
Prostate
Source: National Cancer Institute of Canada: Canadian Cancer Statistics 2011, table 6.1: probability of developing
cancer by age, and lifetime probability of developing and dying from cancer, Canada.
Advances in treatment have improved Your body is fighting for you
the odds of surviving cancer
Cancer begins in a single cell that has been
Several cancers can be cured if caught early. The
chart above lists some examples of the lifetime
risks of getting different cancers and of dying
from them. As you can see, most of these risks
are well below 10%; there is also a lot you can do
to improve your odds against cancer. Know your
risks. Build your defences with a healthy lifestyle
and go for regular cancer screenings.
Not all cancer risks are equal
Cancer is not one disease but many. Your risk
of getting a particular kind of cancer depends
on a variety of factors, including age. For
example, a man has very little probability of
developing prostate cancer by age 50; however,
a 70-year-old man has a 6.2% (1 in 16) chance of
developing it by age 80.
invaded by a carcinogen, a cancer-causing
agent such as those in tobacco, sunlight and
certain chemicals. If the cell does not resist the
alteration or damage caused by the invading
agent, it can multiply out of control, eventually
spreading and destroying healthy tissue.
Fortunately, the body has natural defences—
killer cells that rally to eliminate carcinogens
before any damage occurs. We’re exposed to
thousands of carcinogens on a daily basis; our
bodies succeed in keeping us shielded most of
the time.
Source: Canadian Cancer Society
Content provided by Personal Best Publications.
Lifestyle can also be a risk factor. Smoking, for
instance, is responsible for 30% of all cancer
deaths and 85% of all lung cancer deaths.
Family history is another significant factor in
developing cancer. A woman who has a family
history of breast cancer has an increased risk of
developing the disease.
www.standardlife.ca
The Standard Life Assurance Company of Canada
GE12612B GL
01-2015
©2015 Standard Life, images reproduced under licence.
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