Cancer is a notifiable disease in the Northern Territory as it 'is in all other States. It is the only disease category for which an almost complete coverage of incidence data is available in the Northern Territory. The NT Cancer Registry was set up in 1981 and until 1991 provision of information on new cases of cancer in the Territory was on a voluntary basis. Since 1991, it has been a legal requirement that the Cancer Registry be notified of newly diagnosed cases of cancer.

This report describes the collection, analysis and reporting of data that is recorded in the Northern Territory Cancer Register.

This report presents summary statistics on cancer incidence and mortality for the population of the Northern Territory (NT) for the period 1991−2001. Incidence and mortality statistics are presented separately for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people because cancer incidence and mortality rates are very different for Indigenous compared with other Australians. Total Australian incidence and mortality rates for the period 1995−2000 are included for comparison. Incidence statistics include all cases of cancer diagnosed in residents of the NT, and notified to the Northern Territory Cancer Registry (NTCR), including cases diagnosed interstate which are notified to the NTCR by interstate cancer registries. Mortality statistics include all deaths of NT residents (in the NT or interstate) who died with cancer recorded as the underlying cause of death.

Indicators of completeness of case ascertainment and of data accuracy were assessed for the NTCR for cases diagnosed from 1981 (when the Registry commenced operation) to 2001. Data quality indicators were compared to indicators for other Australian cancer registries. Where possible, data quality was assessed separately for cancer registrations for indigenous and non-indigenous people. Several notification sources were re-screened to identify cases that had not been previously notified.

This report describes cancer incidence and mortality across the seven health districts of the Northern Territory. For non-Indigenous Territorians, cancer incidence and mortality does not vary much between the NT districts, with the exception of East Arnhem District where both all-cancer incidence and all-cancer mortality rates are less than national rates. In other districts there are smaller differences between NT non-Indigenous and total Australian all-cancer incidence and mortality rates, and the confidence intervals for district rates include the total Australian rate, indicating that these differences may be due to chance variation in the small number of cancers diagnosed in the NT’s small district populations.

This report describes cancer incidence and mortality across the seven health districts of the Northern Territory. For non-Indigenous Territorians, cancer incidence and mortality does not vary much between the NT districts, with the exception of East Arnhem District where both all-cancer incidence and all-cancer mortality rates are less than national rates. In other districts there are smaller differences between NT non-Indigenous and total Australian all-cancer incidence and mortality rates, and the confidence intervals for district rates include the total Australian rate, indicating that these differences may be due to chance variation in the small number of cancers diagnosed in the NT’s small district populations.

In the Northern Territory (NT) the Northern Territory Cancer Registry (NTCR) collects data about NT residents who are either diagnosed with cancer or die from cancer. The NTCR analyses and reports the data to provide information for health service planning and delivery, as well as for informing the general public. In this report summary statistics are presented on all new cases of cancer diagnosed among NT residents during the 15-year period 1991–2005 and on all cancer deaths during the 13- year period 1991–2003. Equivalent summary statistics for the Australian population are included for comparative purposes. Additionally, for the first time graphical representation of trends in NT cancer incidence and mortality rates are provided for each cancer site. To allow comparison of incidence rates and deaths rates within the NT population and with the wider Australian population, the rates were adjusted for the increase in total populations and for the changing age profile within the populations.

Statistics presented in this report were calculated using data from the NT Cancer Register (cancer incidence and survival rates), the national deaths dataset (cancer death rates), the NT Pap Smear Register (cervical screening participation rates and related statistics), the breastScreenNT (breast screening participation rates) and the National BreastScreen Program performance reports.

The Northern Territory Cancer Registry (NTCR) collects data about NT residents who are either diagnosed with cancer or die from cancer. The NTCR analyses and reports the data on cancer epidemiology to provide information for health service planning and delivery and to inform the general public. This report presents summary statistics and trends among NT residents diagnosed with cancer or died due to a cancer-related cause during the various reporting periods. Summary statistics are shown for all new cases of cancer diagnosed during the most recent 10-year period 2001–2010 and all cancer deaths that occurred during the 6-year period 2001–2006. Trends in cancer incidence, mortality and survival are presented for the entire duration of available data; 20 years for incidence and survival trends (1991–2010) and 16 years for mortality trends (1991–2006).

Under the NT Cancer (Registration) Act 2011, it is a legal requirement for pathology laboratories, hospitals and the NT Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages to report all cancer diagnoses and deaths to the Northern Territory Cancer Registry. The purpose of this document is to provide an overview of those cancer reporting procedures and to assist with the correct identification of reportable cancers. It is intended for both new and existing notifiers.

This report presents information on the cancer screening programs in the NT, including participation, screening results and outcomes. Screening statistics are presented for the NT as a whole and, when permitted by the availability of reliable data, by Indigenous status and regions with the NT. A comparison of the NT to the national average is also provided where appropriate and when possible.

This report summarises the overall disease cluster investigation on the fetal death rate and the incidence of head and neck cancers, lung cancer and all cancers combined were higher for Aboriginal residents of the Gunbalanya–Kakadu (G-K) area than for the rest of the Aboriginal population of the Top End of the NT. More details about each stage of the investigation, including study protocols and reports of the conduct and findings of each stage, are available in separate reports for each stage.

This report in the series provides statistical data gathered on NT residents who have been diagnosed with cancer or die from the disease. .

Cancer incidence and mortality are important population health outcomes. This fact sheet updates previous Northern Territory (NT) cancer reports to provide long term trends in cancer incidence and mortality between 1991 and 2018. Four data sources were used for this fact sheet: NT cancer data (NT Cancer Registry), Australian cancer data (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare), mortality data (Australian Coordinating Registry) and population data (Australian Bureau of Statistics). The NT population data are estimates of the resident population by age, sex, Indigenous status and health district (1971- 2019). Population data used in this fact sheet differ from previous cancer reports; consequently, caution is advised when comparing rates provided here with rates provided in previous NT cancer reports

This report summarises the overall disease cluster investigation on the fetal death rate and the incidence of head and neck cancers, lung cancer and all cancers combined were higher for Aboriginal residents of the Gunbalanya–Kakadu (G-K) area than for the rest of the Aboriginal population of the Top End of the NT. More details about each stage of the investigation, including study protocols and reports of the conduct and findings of each stage, are available in separate reports for each stage.

Cancer is the most common cause of death among non-Aboriginal residents and the second most common cause of death in Aboriginal residents of the Northern Territory (NT). This factsheet reports malignant cancer incidence, mortality and survival in NT residents for 1991 to 2019 for all cancers combined.

This factsheet describes cancer statistics for diagnoses in Northern Territory (NT) residents between 1991–2020. It presents statistics on invasive cancers and three in situ cancers (breast, melanoma, bladder). We also report trends for the most common cancers and cancers associated with screening programs. Cancer mortality rates (defined as the underlying cause of death) are presented for all invasive cancers and by cancer type. Cancer statistics were sourced from the Northern Territory Cancer Registry (NTCR) and Australian Cancer Database. Mortality data (data available up to 2019) were obtained from the Australian Coordinating Registry and estimated resident population derived from Australian Bureau of Statistics. Rates are expressed as the number of new cases (incidence) or deaths (mortality) per 100,000 population and adjusted to the 2001 Australian standard population using direct age-standardisation. Population denominators are a sum of the annualised population where multiple years are reported collectively. Cancers are categorised in accordance with ICD-10.

This quinquennial report is the sixth in the series presenting summary statistics on cancer incidence and mortality for NT residents. Incidence, mortality and survival are reported for the most recent 10-year period 2011-2020 for all cancers and for each cancer site. Time trends are provided for all cancers combined and common cancer sites from 1991, when cancer reporting became a legislated requirement in the NT. For the first time, insitu cancers of breast, bladder and melanoma of the skin as well as invasive cancer statistics by NT regions are reported. - Excerpt from Summary.