Cancer outcomes in New Zealand and other countries: how are we doing?
March 17, 2024
This recent paper aims to establish how New Zealand is doing in dealing with cancer. It compares New Zealand's performance with other countries, including Australia.
The final line in measuring outcomes of cancer care is the number of deaths. The most recent comparison, for diagnoses in 2014–2018, shows that cancer deaths in New Zealand were 11% higher than those in Australia. The excess deaths in New Zealand are not because there is more cancer: the total incidence of cancer in New Zealand is slightly less than that of Australia. The difference arises because we are not as good at treating cancer.
The comparison to Australia is realistic but challenging: Australia has among the best cancer outcomes world-wide, along with the United States, Canada and the Scandinavian countries. But it’s a comparison we accept for many other aspects of life. If we could emulate the Australian success rates in cancer treatment, we could reduce deaths in New Zealand by some 11%, over 1,000 deaths per year. To do so would require increased investment in health and improvements in both the primary and secondary healthcare systems.
Source:
Elwood, M. (2024). Cancer outcomes in New Zealand and other countries: How are we doing? New Zealand Medical Journal, 137(1591), 8–10. https://doi.org/10.26635/6965....
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