Australia's first national cancer plan aims to improve outcomes for Indigenous and regional Australians

Jacinta Elston and Elise Sproll were both in their 30s when they faced breast cancer diagnoses, but research shows their outcomes could have been very different. Key points: Australia has some of the best outcomes in the world for cancer patients However, First Nations Australians are 45 per cent more likely to die from cancer An Australian-first cancer strategy has been launched by the federal government in a bid to address the issue Cancer survival rates in Australia are some of the highest in the world but some people, including Indigenous Australians and those living in regional areas, are falling behind. "The biggest issue that we now have is that cancer has become the leading cause of death for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people," Professor Elston said. New cancer strategy released Cancer Australia CEO Dorothy Keefe said the 10-year plan would improve access to services from preventative screening to diagnostics and treatment throughout the country. "While cancer outcomes in this country are generally among the best in the world, that's not true for some people simply because of who they are or where they live," Mr Butler said.