2012 Cancer system performance report

December 1, 2012

Read this 2012 report to learn more about what’s working and where improvements are needed in the Canadian cancer system

The 2012 report is the Partnership’s fourth report that looks at the cancer system’s performance across Canada. This report presents indicators that measure performance, and shows patterns and trends for making improvements.

This report’s findings, developed in close collaboration with our provincial and national partners, provide a comprehensive national review of cancer care indicators that span the cancer control continuum, cancer sites and the Canadian population.

This report also introduces new indicators including hepatitis B incidence, mastectomy rates for breast cancer, cancer research investment and new disease sites. As well, the report presents the results of a special study that explains non-adherence to treatment guidelines for lung and rectal cancers.

Quick facts from this 2012 report

• Analysis of smoking prevalence shows that 20 per cent of Canadians aged 12 and older reported smoking in the previous year, with the lowest percentage of 15.8 in British Columbia.
• The cervical cancer screening participation rate was fairly comparable across provinces, ranging from 64 per cent in Saskatchewan to 76 per cent in Alberta among women who had at least one Pap test in the three-year period of 2006 to 2008.
• Nine of 10 provincial registries achieved the national target in 2010 by having stage data on at least 90 per cent of cases for the top four types of cancer.
• In 2011, nine of 10 provinces with available data had achieved the target of 90 per cent of patients treated with radiation within the wait-time target of 28 days.
• In 2012, seven provinces are using a standardized symptom-screening tool for at least a portion of patients at some or all provincial cancer centres. In other provinces, screening tools may be used but their data are not available.
• The cervical cancer screening participation rate was fairly comparable across provinces, ranging from 64 per cent in Saskatchewan to 76 per cent in Alberta among women who had at least one Pap test in the three-year period of 2006 to 2008.

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