Cancers were the largest contributor to years of life lost in 2010 (35 per cent), according to a new report released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).

Cancer Council Australia is arguing more should be done to help curb the “unprecedented” levels of premature mortality through prevention, treatment, research and both patient and carer support.

More people are dying from cancers due to the increasing longevity our population, which partly reflects positive improvements in our management of other diseases.

A third of all Aussie cancer deaths were caused by modifiable risk factors, including smoking, physical inactivity, obesity and poor diet. Ethnicity, location and socioeconomic factors were some of the factors that contributed to cancer care outcomes.

See more about the report here.