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Bridging the gap in cancer care

Shutterstock 318962888 Cancer Cells Low Res2 (1)

Living in Australia, there is about a one in two chance you will be diagnosed with cancer before the age of 85.

But who you are and where you live can influence how likely you are to die. It’s something University of South Australia epidemiologist Professor David Roder is hoping to change using linked data.

Professor Roder says Australia is unusual in having cancer data that cover the whole country.

“We have cancer data in our registries for every person who gets a reportable cancer throughout Australia,” Professor Roder says. “That allows us to look at remote areas and those at increased risk, such as Aboriginal people, low socioeconomic areas and so on, to see if there are disparities that need to be addressed.”

Cancer incidence data have been available in Australia since 1982. But generally, they only contain a limited amount of data, such as the location and type of cancer diagnosed. It’s by combining the cancer registry with other data that he sees real potential.

Professor Roder is currently researching whether self-collection for cervical tests improves screening coverage, such as in women who previously found the test too intrusive. This includes some women from diverse cultural backgrounds.

“Will self-collection increase screening coverage of the population?” Professor Roder says. “This needs monitoring if we are to reach the target of cervical cancer elimination by 2035.”

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