Upper gastrointestinal (GI) cancers – including pancreatic, liver, stomach, biliary and oesophageal cancers – account for approximately one in five cancer deaths in Australia (18%) each year. Yet, for decades they have remained underfunded in early detection, research, treatment and supportive care.

Pancare Foundation’s report, State of the Nation: Upper Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancers in Australia, is a landmark first-of-its-kind report to uncover the true scale and impact of upper gastrointestinal cancers in Australia.

This critical report projects that over the next decade, Australia could see more than 200,000 new cases of upper GI cancer.

The report draws upon the lived experiences of people with upper GI cancer and their families,  clinicians, as well as insights from leading medical and research institutes in Australia, the report identifies key challenges throughout the cancer care continuum. These include issues related to diagnosis, support, quality of life, and survival rates.  

The report outlines a vision and a series of recommendations that can significantly improve survival and quality of life for all Australian upper GI cancer patients and their families by 2035, by:  

• Increasing the five-year survival to greater than 50 per cent through consistent adoption of research as the standard of care and the consistent implementation of best practice.  
• Improving the quality of life for patients and their carers through consistent, timely access to supportive and palliative care.  
• Reducing growth in incidence through more effective primary and secondary prevention.  
• Identifying opportunities to improve outcomes for people impacted. One of the key areas of unmet need is for accessible evidence-based disease-specific information and resources.   
• Maximising research impact in Upper GI cancers through increased funding and a nationally coordinated approach.  

Read the full report here