New Brunswick Cancer Network (NBCN)
July 2022
Report Highlights
The New Brunswick Cancer Network is pleased to release the Cancer in New Brunswick 2014-2018
report:
• The Cancer in New Brunswick 2014-2018 (the Report) is the fifth cancer report released in New
Brunswick.
• The purpose of the Report is to provide updated information about the burden of cancer in NB.
This information is important for stakeholders (public, health care providers and government) to
inform decisions on allocation of health care resources and plan for future programs and services
necessary to meet the needs of New Brunswickers.
• This Report expands cancer statistics of four leading cancers (prostate, breast, lung and
colorectal) from seven health regions to fifteen census divisions by using Geographic Information
System (GIS) to better monitor cancer burden in New Brunswick.
• The section Special Topic analyzes the first-hand experiences of NB cancer survivors who
participated in the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer’s Transition Study and provides rich
information to guide the development of services aimed to enhance supportive care for people
living with and beyond cancer diagnosis.
• About 4,947 new cancer cases and 2,007 deaths from cancer occurred yearly in NB between 2014
and 2018.
• More men (52%) than women (48%) were diagnosed with cancer.
• Top 4 cancers (prostate, breast, lung and colorectal) accounted for the majority (53%) of newly
diagnosed cancers in both sexes.
• Mortality rates improved for stomach, lung, prostate and Hodgkin’s and Non-Hodgkin’s
lymphoma in men and breast, cervical and leukemia in women.
• The 5-year relative survival ratio of all cancers for men was around 60% and 64% for women.
• As of January 1, 2018, there were 21,915 individuals living in New Brunswick who had been
diagnosed with cancer in the previous ten years. Cases diagnosed in the previous ten years
represent the major demand for health care services.
Cancer in New Brunswick 2014-2018 2
• If the past and current cancer incidence trends continue, the number of new cancer cases is
expected to be about 7,000 annually between 2028 and 2032 in New Brunswick, which represents
a 38.2% increase from the 2018 actual counts.
• The data source for this report is the NB Provincial Cancer Registry that has collected
information on cancer in NB since 1950’s. It is the crucial source of information for cancer
control efforts in the province.
• The Report will be available online at the Department of Health website:
CancerInNewBrunswick2014-2018.pdf (gnb.ca)
Top 4 cancers in NB (Prostate, Breast, Lung and Colorectal)
Prostate cancer
• Prostate cancer (21% of all cancers) was the most commonly diagnosed cancer among NB men.
• In 2018, 572 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer and 113 died from the disease.
• The 5-year relative survival ratio for prostate cancer was 95%.
Breast cancer
• Breast cancer (27% of all cancers) was the most commonly diagnosed cancer among NB women.
• In 2018, 644 women were diagnosed with breast cancer and 135 died from it.
• The 5-year relative survival ratio for female breast cancer was 89%.
Lung cancer
• Between 2014 and 2018, lung cancer was the leading cause of cancer death and took more lives
than prostate, breast and colorectal cancers combined (2,817 vs. 2,285). Approximately 1 out of 4
cancer deaths in men and 1 out of 4 in women was due to lung cancer.
• In 2018, lung cancer remained the leading cause of cancer death for both men (310) and women
(248).
• The 5-year relative survival ratio for lung cancer was 18% for men and 26% for women.
Colorectal cancer
• In 2018, 628 New Brunswickers were diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 235 died from it.
• The 5-year relative survival ratio for colorectal cancer was 66% for men and 64% for women.