By XAVIER SMERDON
MORE than 10,000 people in Melbourne’s West have been diagnosed with cancer over the past three years, according to the latest figures released by the Cancer Council Victoria.
According to the figures, 1271 people in Wyndham alone were diagnosed with cancer from 2008 to 2010, of which 423 people lost their battles.
Cancer was responsible for the deaths of 3884 people in the Western Metropolitan Region alone.
The most common cancers for men and women in Wyndham were prostate, bowel, breast and lung.
The biggest killer was lung cancer of which 55 men and 30 women passed away from.
Wyndham made up 12.5 per cent of cancer cases in the West, while the municipality accounted for just under 11 per cent of mortality rates in the West.
Cancer Council Victoria CEO, Todd Harper, said residents should make a point of undergoing regular screenings for cancer.
“Two out of three Victorians diagnosed with cancer now survive beyond five years but even more lives could be saved by making lifestyle choices which minimise our cancer risk,” Mr Harper said.
“With bowel cancer, 90 per cent of cases are curable if detected early, so we recommend screening as there’s a proven benefit. We also encourage local residents to speak to their doctor to discuss screening options and to find out whether testing is right for them”.
On Friday 25 May, State Member for Tarneit, Tim Pallas, hosted a Biggest Morning Tea, where members of the community raised over $500 for cancer research.
For more information about cancer and measures that can be taken to prevent it, visit www.cancervic.org.au.
