Aims: Early-onset cancer, defined as cancer diagnosed before 50 years of age, is increasingly relevant in Western Melbourne’s growing population. This study examined the characteristics of patients with early-onset cancer treated at Western Health over a 17-month period between 2024 and 2025.
Methods: A retrospective audit was conducted of patients with early-onset cancer treated through the Chemotherapy Day Unit (CDU) at Sunshine Hospital and Sunbury Community Hospital. Patients who attended their initial treatment education appointment between August 2024 and December 2025 were identified through electronic medical records. Demographic and cancer-related data were collected and analysed.
Results: Of the 347 patients identified, 76 (22%) had early-onset cancer. The mean age at diagnosis was 40 years (range, 20–49 years), and 58 patients (76%) were female. Breast cancer was the most common diagnosis (55%), followed by colorectal cancer (21%), ovarian cancer (5%), and testicular cancer (5%). Most patients had stage II–III disease (59%), while 28% had stage IV disease. Treatment was delivered with curative intent in 74% of cases. At the time of analysis, five patients (7%) had died, with a mean interval from diagnosis to death of 21 months. No patients identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. An interpreter was required for 13% of patients. English was the most commonly reported primary language (87%), followed by Vietnamese (4%)., followed by Vietnamese (4%). No religious affiliation was most commonly reported (32%), followed by Catholicism (18%), other Christian denominations (13%), Islam (9%), and Buddhism (5%).
Conclusions: Early-onset cancer is common among outpatients in Western Melbourne, with one-fifth of the cancer population who received treatment in the CDU aged under 50. This population demonstrated significant cultural, religious, and linguistic diversity. Understanding the demographics of these patients may help clinicians tailor psychosocial supports, including culturally sensitive care, interpreter services, and pastoral care, to these patients.