LOCALS diagnosed with cancer are at a higher risk of dying from the devastating disease because they live in the country rather than the city, new research has shown.
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Cancer patients in rural areas face a 7 per cent higher mortality rate than their city counterparts, according to an article in the Medical Journal of Australia published on Monday.
The research reveals the 7 per cent disparity between rural and metropolitan areas remained constant for a decade, between 2000 and 2010, resulting in an alarming 9000 additional rural deaths.
The cancer mortality rate in the indigenous population is a staggering 45 per cent higher than the non-indigenous population.
North West Cancer Centre oncologist Mathew George said the research was “not a new thing” and the long-standing disparity between country and city cancer death rates had prompted the creation of regional cancer centres, including one in Tamworth.
“Geographical distances have created a lot more disparity in mortality,” Dr George said.
He said it wasn’t only geographical isolation, but also a lack of awareness and limited accessibility to chemotherapy and radiation therapy, that led to late diagnosis and poorer outcomes for rural people.
The report also showed the greatest disparity between mortality rates occurred with more complex cancers, such as oesophageal cancer and melanoma.
Dr George said it was impossible to get surgical treatment for oesophageal cancer in Tamworth.
He said PET scans – “the most sophisticated test for oesophageal cancer” – were not available in Tamworth and patients had to seek out the expertise of surgeons in tertiary centres in Newcastle or Sydney.
Dr George was hopeful the creation of the North West Cancer Centre would see a decrease in country mortality rates over time.
Cancer Council NSW northern region community program manager Shaen Fraser said travelling long distances for treatment contributed to rural mortality rates.
“Rural people may choose not to have all the treatment because they have to travel,” she said.
She said rural men typically would not seek out a doctor for
regular check-ups and could be quite ill by the time they saw a health professional.
“If the cancer has been there for some time, it could be past the stage where it’s treatable.”
Ms Fraser said the country trend of “putting off” visiting the doctor was compounded by a shortage of rural GPs.
“There’s just not the doctors to go and see. You can’t always get into a doctor when you want to.”
She stressed the importance of regular screenings to track the progress of cancer.
“We’re very fortunate now with the radiation centre – more people are able to have their treatment closer to home.”
