Evidence‐based care to support longer, healthier lives for cancer survivors

Improving integrated care and systematically targeting major cancer and non‐cancer causes of morbidity and mortality could yield major benefits

Cancer is the leading cause of death and disability in Australia, and it is estimated that more than 1.6 million people were living with cancer at the end of 2015.1 Most of these people will live with the disease for many years; for all cancers combined, five‐year relative survival in 2012–2016 was about 69%.1 Although cancer is regarded by many people as a single condition, it is highly heterogeneous, with extreme variations in experiences and outcomes according to the type, aggressiveness, treatment, and stage of the cancer, and the age and comorbid conditions of the patient.