Cancer incidence has been declining in Canada, while survival has increased, and these developments attest to the value of the country’s cancer prevention, detection, and treatment initiatives. Nevertheless, mortality from pancreatic and cervical cancer are among the persistent challenges.

The Canadian Cancer Society’s (CCS’s) most recent biennial report provides a detailed survey of the situation. The report was developed by the Canadian Cancer Statistics Advisory Committee in collaboration with CCS, Statistics Canada, and the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Despite long-term progress, the burden of cancer in Canada remains high because of the country’s growing and aging population. An estimated 2 in 5 Canadians are expected to be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. 

Increasing Survival  

Highlights of the report include the following findings: 

Cervical cancer remains a challenge. Canada’s goal is to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040. Elimination is within reach, according to the report, but Canada must act now to address gaps in cervical cancer screening and increase human papillomavirus vaccination uptake. 

In 2025, just under 255,000 people were expected to be diagnosed with cancer, and over 87,000 were expected to die from the disease. Cancer remains by far the leading cause of death in Canada and is the leading cause of premature death, which is defined as death before age 75 years.

Just under 1.3 million potential years of life are estimated to have been lost to cancer between 2020 and 2022, Jennifer Gillis, PhD, director of surveillance at CCS, told Medscape News Canada. This toll is substantially higher than those of the next leading causes of premature death, which were heart disease and accidents. “This finding underscores how impactful cancer is on the lives of people in Canada,” said Gillis. 

“The four most commonly diagnosed cancers are lung, breast, prostate, and colorectal. It’s estimated that they’ll account for nearly half of all the cancer cases in males and females that were diagnosed last year. These are followed by bladder cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Lung cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in Canada, and its 5-year survival is still quite low,” added Gillis.

Prevention Is Paying Off 

Early screening, detection, and prevention are the three pillars of cancer care. “We’re seeing this progress thanks to decades of prevention efforts, as well as better screening and major advances in treatment that are now paying off,” explained Gillis. “Research has contributed to breakthroughs and transformed how we’re preventing, diagnosing, and treating the disease.” 

Strong public health policies like tobacco control legislation and organized screening programs have significantly contributed to the declines in cancer incidence and mortality rates in Canada, Gillis added. “The significant decline in mortality for lung and bladder cancer also reflects less commercial tobacco use, as commercial tobacco is a leading risk factor of lung cancer and bladder cancers. We’re building public awareness so that people can make informed choices to protect their health. Improving patients’ quality of life following diagnosis is a major concern.” 

“The uptick in survival and mortality and the reduction in cancer incidence is excellent news,” Keith Stewart, MD, director of University Health Network’s Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, told Medscape News Canada. “The broader use of preventive vaccines for conditions like hepatitis and other prophylactic measures mean that when a colonoscopy is performed, for example, precancerous lesions are removed,” he said.

Smoking cessation, the use of sunscreen, and less meat consumption also help explain the decline in incidence. But the positive trends come with two caveats, said Stewart. Young people now have higher rates of cancer, and lifespans are longer. “Cancer is a disease of aging. We’re expecting to see more patients with malignancy over the next few decades, as our population is aging rapidly. That means cancer rates may rise,” he noted. 

More Treatments, Uneven Access 

Many more types of treatments are now available to cure early cancers, said Stewart. Precision medicine, which includes patient testing, genomics, and multiple lines of pharmacotherapy, has revolutionized cancer care. “A couple of decades ago, if you had lung cancer, you might receive chemotherapy once. When it failed, you moved to surgery, radiation, and one line of immunotherapy. There wasn’t much else to offer.” 

Today, patients may receive precision therapy. If its efficacy declines, the patient may switch to immunotherapy and possibly enter a clinical trial of a new treatment. “Instead of receiving one line of treatment lasting 6 months, you’re receiving multiple forms of therapy,” said Stewart. “All these are building blocks leading to longer survival. In multiple myeloma, in the past 20 years, survival has increased from an average of 3 or 4 years to more than a decade.” 

But the lack of drug access in Canada is having serious impact on patients, their families, and physicians, according to Stewart. Across the country, the wait time for certain drugs is 18 months to 2 years. “It’s torturous for families knowing there is a drug available, and the fact that the physicians who conducted a trial can’t use a drug is frustrating. Canada needs to fund drugs more quickly. These drugs can be extremely expensive, but we need to do better. If a drug is going to be unavailable, say no quickly so that we can move on. Otherwise, you’re just creating false hopes for families that are suffering,” concluded Stewart.

Gillis reported having no relevant financial relationships. Stewart has consulted with GSK, Bristol Myers Squibb, Regeneron, and Pfizer. 

Evra Taylor is a widely published freelance medical writer and reporter with 20 years’ experience covering a broad range of therapeutic sectors, including family health, cardiology, psychiatry, ophthalmology, and dermatology.

Survival rates have increased significantly: 64% of people diagnosed today are expected to live for 5 or more years