Cancer in the Northern Territory of Australia 1981

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Department of Health Library Services ePublications - Historical Collection

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Northern Territory Department of Health Library Services Historical Collection

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I NORTHERN TERRITORY 1981

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CANCER

IN THE

NORTHERN TERRITORY

1981

ISBN O - 7245 - 0888 - 0

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Northern Territory Cancer Registry PO Box 1701

DARWIN NT 5794 Telephone 802600

CENTRAL LIBRARY

2 4 JUN 1998

SERVICES

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Table 1 - Territory population as at 30 June 1981 3 Table 2 - Rate of population increase 4 Table 3 - Number of skin tumours diagnosed - 1981 10 Table 4 - Age-specific incidence of skin tumours - 1981 11 Table 5 - Subsite distributions of skin tumours - 1981 12 Table 6 - Most frequently reported sites - 1981 13 Table 7 - New cancer cases by site, age, sex and

ethnic group 14-20

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THE NORTHERN TERRITORY CANCER REGISTRY

LOCATION:

POSTAL ADDRESS:

MLC Building 81 Smith Street DARWIN NT 5790

GPO Box 1701

DARWIN NT 5794

MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE:

CHAIRMAN:

MEMBERS:

STAFF:

REGISTRAR:

Dr R.A. Tozer, General Specialist Pathologist, Darwin Hospital

Dr K.C. Lee, Specialist Dermatologist, Darwin Hospital

Dr D. Lo, Senior Specialist Physician, Darwin Hospital

Mr A.G. Mahajani, Specialist Surgeon Darwin Hospital

Dr M.C.S. Perera, Pathologist, Alice Springs Hospital

Mr J.D. Palmer, Northern Territory Statistician Mr Selvey, Private Practitioner Society of the Northern Territory

Mr T.J.N. Kinmonth

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INTRODUCTION

The Northern Territory Cancer Registry commenced operating on 1 January 1981 following a trial period in the latter half of 1980 to establish collection procedures.

Its aim is to provide complete information on the incidence and distribution of all cancers in the Northern Territory including skin cancers.

The information is needed due to the special circumstances existing in the Northern Territory in particular the climate- associated skin cancers, the growth of the mining industry and the favourable position we are in to monitor malignancies in the Aboriginal population. There is also a requirement to contribute to the National Cancer Register.

Notification of cancer cases is not compulsory at the present time. Information is received from pathology laboratories, medical practitioners and hospitals.

This publication should be regarded as a preliminary report only because we do not yet have a body of data sufficiently large to allow detailed analysis. Due to the relatively small number of cases which occur annually in the Northern Territory i t may be some years before incidence and survival rates for the different type of cancers can be calculated. Efforts are being made to overcome this problem by collecting data retro- spectively to 1976.

At this stage the . Cancer Registry does not have access to death certificates issued by the Registrar-Generals Office.

This is a severe limitation on the operations of the Registry.

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NORTHERN TERRITORY POPULATION AS AT 30 JUNE 1981

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AGE MALES FEMALES PERSONS

(Yrs) Abor non-Ab N/S(a) Abor non-Ab N/S(a) Abor non-Ab N/S(a) 0-4 2115 4129 293 1990 4025 308 4105 8154 601 5-9 2193 4542 302 2030 4241 268 4223 8783 570 10-14 2013 3854 258 1951 3701 224 3964 7555 482 15-19 1585 3144 258 1683 2928 192 3268 6072 450 20-24 1410 4575 665 1516 4474 321 2926 9049 986 25-29 1105 5245 693 1162 5004 327 2267 10249 1020 30-34 746 5619 554 947 4781 277 1693 10400 831 35-39 684 4294 443 698 3207 210 1382 7501 653 40-44 596 3118 345 622 2145 177 1218 5263 522 45-49 446 2087 307 556 1442 116 1002 3528 423 50-54 433 1868 308 454 1232 127 887 3100 435 55-59 287 1367 236 295 1084 101 582 2451 337

60-64 286 923 198 313 819 98 599 1742 296

65-69 194 631 112 225 614 69 419 1245 181

70+ 275 569 105 283 590 88 558 1159 193

TOTAL 14369 45966 5084 14722 40288 2899 29091 86254 7983

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics

N/S = Not stated

Note:

(a)

Some figures in the source data have been randomly adjusted to avoid the release of confidential data. As a result some totals may differ slightly from the sum of their components.

This group would be predominently non-Aboriginal. Census collectors were involved in filling out forms at Aboriginal settlements and they reported no reluctance on the part of Aboriginals to answer this question.

Total 12857 13580 12001 9786 12961 13539 12929 9534 7004 4957 4424 3369 2637 1842 1908 123324

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TABLE 2

NORTHERN TERRITORY RATE OF POPULATION INCREASE

PERCENTAGE INCREASE

~ORTHERN TERRITORY - AUSTRALIA

1972 7.40 1.81

1973 5.48 1.51

1974 5.97 1.61

1975 -9.77'(a) 1.24

1976 5.77 1.01

1977 4.07 1.13

1978 4.69 1.17

1979 4.09 1.08

1980 3.40 1.23

1981 6.65 1.60

Source: Australia Bureau of Statistics

(a) Decrease due to the effects of cyclone 'Tracy' on the Darwin population.

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NORTHERN TERRITORY MAIN ROADS & COMMUNITIES

Bathurst Island

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MALE

6 5 4

MALE

AGE 70

+

65 - 69 60 - 64

55 - 59 _FEMALE

50 - 54 45 - 49 40 - 44 35 - 39 30 - 34 25 - 29 20 - 24

15 - 19 i - - - L - -

10 - 14 1 - - - . . . . L - - 5 - 9 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___.

0 - 4 ..__ _ _ _ _ _ _ ____,

3 2 1 1 2 3 4

NON-ABORIGINAL POPULATION (THOUSANDS)

AGE 70 + 65 - 69 60 - 64 55 - 59

50 - 54 ^FEMALE

45 - 49 40 - 44 35 - 39 30 - 34 25 - 29 20 - 24 15 - 19 10 - 14 5 - 9 0 - 4

2 1 1 2

ABORIGINAL POPULATION (THOUSANDS)

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KEY TO SITE CODES - ICD-0

The World Health Organisation International Classification of Diseases for Oncology ( ICD-0), 1st Edition 1976, is used to code all neoplasms by site, morphology and behaviour.

140-149 LIP, ORAL CAVITY, AND PHARYNX 140 Lip

141 Tongue

142 Salivary Glands 143 Gum

144 Floor of the mouth

145 Other and unspecified parts of the mouth 146 Oropharynx

147 Nasopharynx 148 Hypopharynx

149 Pharynx and ill-defined sites in lip; oral cavity and pharynx

150-159 DIGESTIVE ORGANS AND PERITONEUM 150 Esophagus

151 Stomach

152 Small intestine 153 Colon

154 Rectum, restosigmoid junction, anal canal and anus, NOS 155 Liver and intrahepatic bile ducts

156 Gallbladder and extrahepatic bile ducts 157 Pancreas

158 Retroperitoneum and peritoneum

159 Other and ill-defined sites within digestive organs and peritoneum

160-165 RESPIRATORY SYSTEM AND INTRATHORACIC ORGANS

160 Nasal cavities, accessory sinuses, middle ear and inner ear

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161 Larynx

162 Trachea, Bronchus and lung 163 Pleura

164 Thymus, heart and mediastinum

165 Other and ill-defined sites with respiratory system and intrathoracic organs

169 HEMATOPOIETIC AND RETICULOENDOTHELIAL SYSTEMS 170 BONES, JOINTS AND ARTICULAR CARTILAGE

171 CONNECTIVE, SUBCUTANEOUS AND OTHER SOFT TISSUES 173 SKIN

174 FEMALE BREAST

179-189 GENITOURINARY ORGANS 179 Uterus, Nos

180 Cervix uteri 181 Placenta 182 Corpus uteri

183 Ovary, fallopian tube and broad ligament 184 Other and unspecifiec female genital organs 185 Prostate gland

186 Testis

187 Penis and other male genital organs 188 Urinary bladder

189 Kidney and other urinary organs 190 EYE AND LACRIMAL GLAND

191-192 NERVOUS SYSTEM 191 Brain

192 Other and unspecified parts of nervous system

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193-194 ENDOCRINE GLANDS

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193 Thyroid Gland

194 Other endocrine glands

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195 OTHER ILL-DEFINED SITES

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196 LYMPH NODES

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199 UNKNOWN PRIMARY SITE

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TABLE 3

NUMBER OF SKIN TUMOURS DIAGNOSED IN 1981

AGE DISTRIBUTION OF PATIENTS

NON-ABORIGINALS

AGE BASAL CELL SQUAMOUS CELL MELANOMA (a)

(YEARS) Male Female Male Female Male Female

0-9

10-19 1 1 1

20-29 5 1 4 2 2

30-39 30 14 9 3 4 1

40-49 52 23 29 6 2 1

50-59 67 23 28 5 1 2

60-69 45 10 20 4 1

D

70-79 16 2 5

80 + 2 1 1 1

NOT KNOWN 2 2 2

TOTAL 218 77 98 20 10 8

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(a) Includes 3 non-invasive tumours

NOTE: Only 1 Aboriginal reported with skin cancer.

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TABLE 4

AGE-SPECIFIC INCIDENCE OF SKIN TUMOURS (a) - 1981

RATE PER 100,000 OF NON-ABORIGINAL POPULATION

AGE BASAL CELL SQUAMOUS CELL

(YEARS) Male Female Male Female

0-9

10-19 13 14

20-29 45 10 36

30-39 275 165 82 35

40-49 888 593 495 155

50-59 1773 904 741 197

60-69 2414 625 1073 250

70 + 2671 442 890

TOTAL 427 178 194 46

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TABLE 5

NUMBER OF SKIN TUMOURS DIAGNOSED IN 1981 SUBSITE DISTRIBUTION

SITE ICD-0 BCC

sec

MELANOMA (a)

Skin of lip 173.0 6 8

D

Eyelid 173.1 7 3

External Ear 173.2 18 5

Other and Unspecified

D

Parts of Face 173.3 94 28 1

Scalp and Neck 173.4 27 18 1

Trunk 173.5 52 7 7

Arm and Shoulder 173.6 65 32 5

D

Leg and Hip 173.7 14 9 2

Skin Not Specified 173.9 12 9 2

TOTAL 295 119 18

NOTE: The 432 tumours listed above were distributed among 303 persons. 66 had multiple tumours. Only one Aboriginal has skin cancer.

(a) Includes 3 non-invasive tumours.

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TABLE 6

MOST FREQUENTLY REPORTED SITES - 1981 (EXCLUDING SKIN CANCERS OTHER THAN MALIGNANT MELANOMA)

MALES

SITE ICD-0 No. %

ALL SITES 55(8) 100.0

Malignant Melanoma 173 8 14.5

Trachea, Bronchus & Lung 162 6(2) 10.9 Rectum, Rectosigmoid Junction,

Anal Canal and Anus, NOS 154 4 7.3

Testis 186 4 7.3

Pharynx 149 2 3.6

Colon 153 3 5.4

Pancreas 157 2 3.6

Pleura 163 2(1) 3.6

Lymph Nodes 196 2 3.6

NOTE - Figures in brackets show the number of Aboriginals.

They are included in the totals.

FEMALES

SITE ICD-0 No. %

ALL SITES 88(9) 100.0

Breast 174 17(1) 19.3

Cervix Uteri (invasive) 180 11(2) 12.5

Malignant Melanoma 173 7 8.0

Bones, Joints & Articular

Cartilage 170 2(2) 2.3

Trachea, Bronchus & Lung 162 4(1) 4.5 Ovary, Fallopian Tube & Broad

Ligament 183 3 3.4

Uterus 179 2 2.3

Thyroid Gland 193 2 2.3

NOTE - Figures in brackets show the number of Aboriginals.

They are included in the totals.

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ETHNIC ICD-0 SEX GROUP

0- 5-

141 M Abor non-Ab F Abor

non-Ab

T

144 ^M Abor non-Ab F Abor

non-Ab T

149 ^M Abor non-Ab F Abor

non-Ab T

AGE (YEARS)

10- 15- 20- 25- 30- 35- 40- 45-

so-

55- 60- 65- 70-

1 1 1

1

1 1 1 1

1 1

75- 80- 85+ N/K TOTAL

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1 2 2

1 1

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TABLE 7 Cont'd NORTHERN TERRITORY CANCER REGISTRY - NEW CASES NOTIFIED IN 1981

II

TABULATION BY SITE, AGE, SEX AND ETHNIC GROUP

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ETHNIC AGE (YEARS) II

ICD-0 SEX GROUP

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^5- ^10- ^15- ^20- ^25- ^30- ^35- ^40- ^45- ^50- ^55- ^60- ^65- ^70- ^75- ^80- ⁸⁵⁺ ^N/K ^TOTAL

152 M Abor

non-Ab 1 1

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F Abor non-Ab

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T 1 1

153 M Abor

non-Ab 1 1 1 3

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F Abor t,-t

non-Ab 1 1 ^(J1

T 2 1 1 4

II

154 M Abor

non-Ab 1 1 1 1 4

F Abor \1

non-Ab 1 1

T 1 1 1 1 1 5

155 M Abor 1 1 \1

non-Ab F Abor 11

non-Ab

T 1 1

156 M Abor

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non-Ab 1 1

F Abor

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non-Ab

T 1 1 ⁽⁾

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ETHNIC ICD-0 SEX GROUP

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5-

non-Ab T

AGE (YEARS)

10- 15- 20- 25- 30- 35- 40- 45- 50- 55- 60- 65- 70-

1 1

1

1 2

1

1 1

1 1 1

1

1 1

1 2 2 2 1

75- 80- 85+ N/K TOTAL

2

1

1 1-1

°'

1

1 2

1

1 2

1 4

1

1 3

1 1 10

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TABLE 7 Cont'd

ICD-0 SEX

163 M

F T 169 M F

T 170 M F

T

171 M

F T

ETHNIC GROUP

Abor non-Ab Abor non-Ab

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NORTHERN TERRITORY CANCER REGISTRY - NEW CASES NOTIFIED IN 1981 TABULATION BY SITE, AGE, SEX AND ETHNIC GROUP

AGE (YEARS)

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10- 15- 20- 25- 30- 35- 40- 45- SO- 55- 60- 65- 70- 75- 80- 85+ N/K TOTAL

1

1 1

1

3 1

1

1 1

1 1 1

1

2

1

1 1 1

2

1

3

1

3

1 1

2

1 9

3 13

1 2 3

1 1

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ETHNIC ICD-0 SEX GROUP

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173(a) M Abor non-Ab F Abor

non-Ab T

174 F Abor non-Ab T

179 F Abor non-Ab T

180 F Abor non-Ab T

183 M Abor non-Ab

F Abor non-Ab T

184 F Abor non-Ab T

AGE (YEARS)

10- 15- 20- 25- 30- 35- 40- 45-

so-

55- 60- 65- 70-

1

1 2 9 11 32 24 59 41 56 38 28 14

2 1 2 6 12 14 15 19 11 5 ⁹ 1

2 1 3 11 17 44 38 74 60 67 43 37 16

1

1 1 6 4 1 1 1 1

1 1 7 4 1 1 1 1

1 1

1 1 1

2 4 10 6 5 3 1 1 1 1

2 4 10 7 5 4 2 1 1 1

1 1

(a) Multiple skin tumours have been included.

75- 80- 85+ N/K TOTAL

1

7 1 2 2 327

1 2 4 104

8 3 2 6 432

1 16 17

~

2 ^(X)

2 3

2 36

2 39

1 3

1 1

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TABLE 7 Cont'd

ETHNIC

ICD-0 SEX GROUP

o-

5-

186 M Abor non-Ab

T

187 F Abor non-Ab

T

non-Ab T

non-Ab

T

- -

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NORTHERN TERRITORY CANCER REGISTRY - NEW CASES NOTIFIED IN 1981 TABULATION BY SITE, AGE, SEX AND ETHNIC GROUP

AGE (YEARS)

10- 15- 20- 25- 30- 35- 40- 45-

so-

55- 60- 65- 70-

2 1

1 1

1 1 1 1

1 1

75- BO- 85+ N/K

1

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TOTAL

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1 2

1 1

2 2

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ETHNIC ICD-0 SEX GROUP

o-

5- 195 M Abor

non-Ab F Abor

non-Ab T

TOTAL M Abor non-Ab F Abor

non-Ab T

N/K = Not known

AGE (YEARS)

10- 15- 20- 25- 30- 35- 40- 45- 50- 55- 60- 65- 70-

1

1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 2 3

1 3 9 14 34 27 60 43 59 47 37 16

1 2 1 2 1 1 1

2 2 5 13 14 20 24 21 22 16 8 13 5

3 3 9 22 31 55 53 83 65 76 58 51 24

75- 80- 85+ NIK TOTAL 1

1 2

2 N

0

9

8 2 3 3 366

9

2 2 1 6 176

10 4 4 9 560

Cancer in the Northern Territory of Australia 1981

Department of Health Library Services ePublications - Historical Collection

I NORTHERN TERRITORY 1981

CONTENTS

THE NORTHERN TERRITORY CANCER REGISTRY

INTRODUCTION

0

TABLE 2

0

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KEY TO SITE CODES - ICD-0

160-165 RESPIRATORY SYSTEM AND INTRATHORACIC ORGANS

171 CONNECTIVE, SUBCUTANEOUS AND OTHER SOFT TISSUES 173 SKIN

TABLE 3

0

AGE BASAL CELL SQUAMOUS CELL

TOTAL 295 119 18

MALES

FEMALES

ETHNIC ICD-0 SEX GROUP

ETHNIC AGE (YEARS) II

AGE (YEARS)

ETHNIC ICD-0 SEX GROUP

NORTHERN TERRITORY CANCER REGISTRY - NEW CASES NOTIFIED IN 1981 TABULATION BY SITE, AGE, SEX AND ETHNIC GROUP