Cancer programme

The Ministry leads a national work programme which provides a strategic focus for cancer control, and for system-wide improvements across the spectrum of cancer services.

Cancer is a major health issue for New Zealanders. One in three New Zealanders will have some experience of cancer, either personally or through a relative or friend.

Cancer is the country’s leading cause of death (28.9 percent) and a major cause of hospitalisation.

In 2010, 21,235 people were diagnosed with cancer in New Zealand and 8593 people died from the disease. In that year, prostate cancer and bowel cancer were the most commonly diagnosed cancers (2988 registrations for each cancer), followed by breast cancer and melanoma. Lung cancer was the leading cause of cancer death, followed by bowel, breast and prostate cancers.

Reducing the burden of cancer in our community is one of the Government’s priority areas.

Since 2008, the Ministry of Health has led a systematic and coordinated approach to cancer control through a national work programme involving district health boards (DHBs) and regional cancer networks. The national programme provides a focus for cancer control and for system-wide improvements across cancer services.

In this section

• Bowel cancer programme
  The programme aims to strengthen bowel cancer services so they can effectively meet current demand and increasing future demand. Read more
• Faster Cancer Treatment programme
  The Ministry is working with the health sector to ensure patients have timely access to appointments, tests which detect cancer and cancer treatment.Read more
• Prostate cancer programme
  The Ministry has developed an action plan to ensure men have improved access to quality prostate cancer information and care Read more
• Regional cancer networks
  In New Zealand, four regional cancer networks work across organisational boundaries to promote a collaborative approach to service planning and delivery. Read more
• Cancer Control Strategy and Action Plan
  The Cancer Control Strategy guides existing and future actions to control cancer. The Action Plan describes how the objectives of the Strategy will be achieved. Read more
• Cancer supportive care
  Supportive care aims to improve the quality of life for people with cancer, their family and whānau through support, rehabilitation and palliative care. Read more
• Cancer publications
  Publications relating to cancer in New Zealand. Read more
• National Cancer Programme Update
  The National Cancer Programme Update provides the latest information about key areas of our work. Read more