Brain cancer kills more people under 40 than any other cancer and more children than any other disease in Australia.
Brain cancer is deadly. Survival rates are low.
Around 2,100 people are diagnosed with brain cancer in Australia annually and approximately 1,600 die from the disease every year.
AIHW (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare) (2025) Cancer data in Australia, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 2026.
It gets worse.
For some types of brain cancer, survival is much lower. For glioblastoma – the most common primary brain cancer in adults – only 6% of people survive 5-years post diagnosis.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2021. Cancer data in Australia. Cat. no. CAN 122. Canberra: AIHW.
96%
of people survive
Prostate Cancer
93%
of people survive
Breast Cancer
24%
of people survive
Brain Cancer
6%
of people survive
Glioblastoma
$1.7 Million per person
The estimated financial burden of brain cancer for adolescents and young adults in Australia.
Due to lack of treatment and investment
1 in 4 people
diagnosed with brain cancer survive beyond 5 years.
Brain cancer survival rates
4% increase
in the last 40 years.
Around 1,600
deaths from brain cancer
per year in Australia.
How is brain cancer different to others?
Brain cancer
Incidence
2,098
Mortality
1,639
5 Year Survival
24%
All Cancer Combined
Incidence
169,759
Mortality
53,545
5 Year Survival
72%
Blood Cancer
Incidence
20,120
Mortality
6,329
5 Year Survival
70%
Breast Cancer
Incidence
20,336
Mortality
3,353
5 Year Survival
93%
Colorectal Cancer
Incidence
14,784
Mortality
5,235
5 Year Survival
72%
Prostate Cancer
Incidence
28,868
Mortality
3,975
5 Year Survival
96%
Statistics like these won’t change on their own.
Real change only happens when research is funded.
You can help drive the breakthroughs needed to find a cure.