The Victorian Cancer Screening Annual Statistical Report is now live, offering an interactive look at the latest data from cervical, bowel, and breast cancer screening programs across Victoria.
Delivered under the Victorian Cancer Screening Framework (VCSF), the report integrates data from the National Cervical Screening Program, the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program, and BreastScreen Victoria, providing a comprehensive view of screening participation, self-collection uptake, and time to assessment.
This year’s report introduces new measures, such as cervical screening test self-collection and time-to-assessment for bowel and cervical screening, presented for the first time in Australia in an interactive format. It also features interpretation guides and a introductory video for new users.
Key insights include a record 241,057 women screened for breast cancer in 2023, marking the highest annual total to date.
Victoria experienced a 3.6% decline in the five-year cervical screening coverage rate, reflecting national trends. Likely causes include a delay in women returning for second screening round following the renewed screening program (shifting from 2-yearly Pap tests to 5-yearly HPV tests), and cost-related barriers to accessing GP services, particularly affecting women.
Self-collection for cervical screening saw the highest uptake among under-screened (32.4%) and never-screened (26.7%) individuals, compared to 19.3% among those who screen on time. This suggests that self-collection has been effective at reducing barriers to accessing cervical screening among under-screened and never-screened population
Additionally, 76% of bowel screening participants receiving timely follow-up; however, ongoing efforts are required at both the health systems and individual level to ensure eligible participants have access to timely colonoscopy for the detection of bowel cancer at an earlier stage.
The report is a collaborative effort by VCSF partners, with support from the Victorian Government.
Explore the data and see how Victoria is working to improve early detection and prevention, especially for priority communities.
