A Global Concern with an Australian Epicentre
Australia has the highest rate of early-onset colorectal cancer among 50 countries, and the trend is not isolated to one cancer type. Rising rates of colorectal, pancreatic, thyroid, and breast cancers among people aged 20 to 49 are an urgent global concern—and Australia is at the centre of the data.
In May 2026, Cancer Australia and the National Health and Medical Research Council announced the recipients of the inaugural $15 million Cancer Australia Research Initiative (CARI), funding seven projects over three years. The initiative received an additional $8 million boost due to the outstanding quality of applications.
What the Research Will Investigate
The funded projects span prevention, early detection, treatment, and survivorship. Among them:
- Associate Professor Erin Symonds of Flinders University will identify risk factors for bowel cancer in young people and develop simple tests for targeted, earlier detection.
- Doctor Jie-Bin Lew of the University of Sydney will lead the STRIVE-EOC project, testing the most effective and equitable interventions for early-onset bowel, breast, pancreatic, and liver cancers.
- Associate Professor Tracy Putoczki of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute will investigate whether interactions between genetics and environmental triggers explain the rise in early-onset pancreatic cancer.
- Associate Professor Shuai Li of the University of Melbourne will lead the discovery of new causes of early-onset breast cancer and how multiple risk factors combine.
Notably, five of the seven funded projects are led by female researchers, reflecting a commitment to advancing women’s leadership in cancer research.
A National and State-Level Commitment
The federal initiative is complemented by significant state-level investment. In September 2026, the Minns Labor Government announced an $11 million investment to translate innovative cancer research into improved prevention, detection, and treatment in regional and rural New South Wales. This is part of an overall $21 million investment over five years to build translational cancer research capacity.
Minister for Health Mark Butler framed the federal investment in stark terms: “Too many younger Australians are being diagnosed with cancer at a stage of life when they should be planning their futures, not facing a life-threatening illness”.
