Quebec`s cancer survival rate remains unknown

News release
For immediate distribution
Canadian Cancer Statistics (2014)
Quebec's cancer survival rate remains unknown
Montreal, May 28, 2014 – Once again, and for the wrong reasons, Quebec stands apart and,
for the time being, remains unable to correctly assess the survival rates of individuals treated for
cancer, compared to those of the other Canadian provinces. Consequently, as mentioned in the
2014 Canadian Cancer Statistics made public today, "data from Quebec were excluded from the
analysis because its method for ascertaining the date of cancer diagnosis differs from the
method used by other provinces and territories and because of issues in correctly ascertaining
the vital status of cases."
Coalition Priorité Cancer au Québec urges Quebec's new minister of Health and Social Services,
Dr. Gaétan Barrette, to address the irregularities remaining in the implementation and
management of Quebec's Cancer Registry. "The Cancer Registry", points out Coalition vicepresident Eva Villalba, "is an essential cancer-control tool. It is designed to measure the true
extent of the disease, evaluate professional practices, provide researchers with information
regarding treatments and clinical profiles, and most of all it is designed to be a tool used to
improve our methods of doing things, especially compared to others." Only in 2015 will it be
possible to link the cancer registries of establishments to Quebec's central deaths registry and
thus determine the true survival rates for each type of cancer.
Despite two official launchings, i.e. January 2011 and April 2013, following some ten years of
discussions and ground work, Quebec's Cancer Registry remains a incomplete tool likely to
become fully operational in 2016 only. According to recent information forwarded by the
Direction québécoise de cancérologie, Quebec Cancer Registry data will unfortunately be
available to clinicians and researchers in 2017 at the very earliest.
The Coalition points out that the transmission of cancer data from establishments to the central
registry remains irregular. It hopes that Minister Barrette will reassess and correct the situation
and that greater resources will be allocated to the establishments, allowing them to recruit and
train cancer registrars able to set up and manage local cancer registries.
Cancer progression in Quebec
Furthermore, Coalition Priorité Cancer au Québec is calling for effective cancer-control
mobilization. As revealed in the 2014 statistical report on cancers in Canada, the number of
cancer cases in Quebec is steadily rising.
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The Coalition believes that the number of actual cases in Quebec is underestimated and may
now largely exceed 55,000 new cases per year, with a death toll of 20,500. Soon, one out of
every two Quebecers will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lifetime.
About the Coalition
Coalition Priorité Cancer au Québec was founded in 2001 to protect, support and give a strong
voice to people affected by cancer (patients, survivors, informal caregivers, their families and
their loved ones, as well as cancer-related community organizations and health professionals)
and to help organize the fight against cancer. Because of the contribution of these
organizations and members, the Coalition’s membership represents close to 1.5 million people.
Alliance of the Cultural Communities for Equality in Health and Social Services (ACCESSS), Association des radiooncologues du Québec (AROQ), Association du cancer de l'Est du Québec (ACEQ), Association des laryngectomisés
de Montréal Inc, Care-Ring-Voice Network, Canadian Breast Cancer Network (CBCN), Cancer testiculaire Canada,
Can Support Cedars, Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada (CCAC), Association québécoise des registraires en
oncologie (AQRO), Association des retraitées et retraités de l’éducation et des autres services publics du Québec
(AREQ), Centre d'action bénévole de Bellechasse - Lévis - Lotbinière (Espoir Cancer), Chaire Environnement-Cancer
Guzzo de l'Université de Montréal, Chaire de recherche et de traitement du cancer de l’UQAM, Conseil pour la
protection des malades (CPM), Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada, Quebec Clinical Research Organization in
Cancer (Q-CROC), Fédération des comités des usagers et de résidents du Québec (FCURQ), Fédération des
travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec (FTQ), Fédération de la physiothérapie en pratique privée du Québec,
Fondation Rêvez la vie, Foundation of Stars, Hope & Cope / L’espoir, c’est la vie, HPV Awareness Corporation,
Institut de l'anémie - Recherche et éducation (IARE), La Maison Aube-Lumière, Le Regroupement québécois des
maladies orphelines; Lymphoma Canada, Lymphedema Association of Quebec, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of
Canada, Mains de l’espoir de Charlevoix, Myeloma Canada, Nova Montréal, Maison Sercan, Ordre des technologues
en imagerie médicale, en radio-oncologie et en électrophysiologie médicale du Québec (OTIMROEPMQ), Ordre
professionnel des technologistes médicaux du Québec (OPTMQ), Organisation québécoise pour les personnes
atteintes de cancer (OQPAC), Organisme gaspésien pour les personnes atteintes de cancer (OGPAC), Ovaire espoir,
Ovarian Cancer Canada (OCC), Palliative Home-care Society of Greater Montreal, ProCure-The Force Against
Prostate Cancer, Professionnals Networking for Caregivers, Quebec Clinical Research Organization in Cancer,
Quebec Lung Association (QLA), Regroupement provincial des comités des usagers (RPCU), Regroupement des
Aidants Naturels du Comté de l'Assomption (RANCA), Réseau des femmes en environnement, Réseau FADOQ,
Save Your Skin Foundation, The Alliance of the Cultural Communities for Equality in Health and Social Services
(ACCÉSSS), The Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Society of Canada; The Brain Tumor Foundation of Canada;
Thyroid Cancer Canada
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Source : Coalition Priorité Cancer au Québec
Information : Sylvie Piché, Communications Consultant
514 868-2009 ext. 225
[email protected]
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