Cost of cancer more than $500 million - and rising

Breast, colorectal, prostate and lymphoid cancers are expected to drive the majority of the increased cost of fighting cancer. File photo / Thinkstock

More than $500 million a year is being pumped into diagnosing and treating cancer, and costs are set to climb over the next decade.

According to the Health Ministry report released today, the estimated price for all cancers was $511 million a year, based on information from 2008/2009.

The price was expected to rise by about $117m by 2021, with breast, colorectal, prostate and lymphoid cancers among those expected to drive the majority of the increase.

Health Minister Tony Ryall said he was not surprised by the cost, and had thought it could be higher.

"But we need to bear in mind this does not include the cost of prevention programmes like the breast and cervical screening programmes, the HPV immunisation programme or health activity and nutrition programmes," he said.

"Better prevention will be part of the solution, but the most effective way to contain costs is by increasing productivity."

Breast cancer, which accounted for more than 10 per cent of all cancer registrations, was the most expensive form of the disease, costing $76.8 million a year.

The report showed there were 2735 registered cases of breast cancer in 2008, and the average six-year public price for a patient with breast cancer was $28,074.

Colorectal cancer and cancers of the lymph and blood, including leukaemia, followed closely as significant drivers of cost.

Cervical cancer was the least expensive cancer to treat, costing $4m a year.

The majority of the cancer costs came from hospital settings, and the projected price increases came largely from the growing and ageing of the population.

The report is the first to examine how much taxpayers are paying for the care of cancer patients.