New site collates cancer data from across Australia

The National Cancer Control Indicators (NCCI) site gathers population-based cancer data from various sources across Australia and consolidates it in a single online location.
 
‘It compiles and presents data in a graphical way so you can look at changes over time,’ Dr Liz Marles, a GP and member of Cancer Australia’s Advisory Council, told newsGP. ‘You can look at things like changes in risk factors – smoking, alcohol consumption – and consider the impact of those risk factors on disease outcomes. You can then search according to your interest.
 
‘It makes it a really good resource for policy makers and consumers, as well as for GPs.’
 
In developing the NCCI, Cancer Australia established seven cancer control indicator groups: prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, psychosocial care, research, and outcomes. Data on each indicator is represented visually via interactive charts, and can be filtered by tumour type and category, such as population group, sex, age, and socioeconomic status. The site is designed to be updated as new data becomes available and incorporate new sources of national data.
 
The data available on the NCCI, including the way it is visually represented, will help GPs discuss cancer and its management and prevention with patients, according to Dr Marles.
 
‘Patients want to know what sort of risk they have,’ she said. ‘If we’re trying to encourage people to quit smoking or reduce their alcohol consumption, for example, this will give us the sort of data we need to support those conversations. It is actually evidence that we can use, which will allow people to make a judgement about their own risk.
 
‘We know that we are now dealing with a much more informed consumer population. People go onto the internet often to search for things they are concerned about, and cancer is a big thing people are concerned about.
 
‘So we can point them in the direction to a very evidence-based resource to look at answers for their questions.’

cancer-australia National-Cancer-Control-Indicators