The corresponding estimates of the number of cancer deaths and the age-standardized mortality rates are presented in Tables 2.4 and 2.5. [...] True differences in incidence or mortality rates among provinces and territories may be due to the variation in any one of several factors, including the following: the prevalence of cancer risk factors (e.g., higher historic smoking rates in Quebec and Atlantic Canada as the likely cause of higher rates of lung cancer) the early detection of cancer due to different rates of participation in f [...] Canadian Cancer Society: Canadian Cancer Statistics 2012 25 4. TIME TRENDS IN INCIDENCE AND MORTALITY The numbers of new cases and deaths are important measures of cancer burden on the Canadian population and healthcare system. [...] Figures 4.3 and 4.4 show the relative contributions to the changes in the total number of new cases and deaths that can be attributed to changes in cancer risk or diagnostic practices, population size and aging of the population. [...] The major contributors to the rising number of new cancer cases are population growth and the aging of the population: The lowest solid line represents the total number of new cancer cases (or deaths) that would have occurred each year if the population size and age structure had remained the same as they were in 1983.