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Alberta needs to redouble its efforts to prevent cancer as the province sees steady growth in the number of new cases, the Canadian Cancer Society says.

A new study released Tuesday estimated that 18,600 Albertans will be diagnosed with cancer this year — part of a cross-Canada rise in new cases as the country grapples with an aging population.

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The report found one in two Canadians are expected to contract cancer at some point in their lives, while the country is seeing more new cancer cases overall.

In Alberta, cancer is expected to claim the lives of 6,800 people this year, said Kristyn Berry, the society’s Edmonton-based health promotion coordinator.

The province should do more to combat the growth in new cancer cases, she said.

“If you think of the stat that nearly one in two Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer, mixed with the growing and aging population and the increase of new cancer cases, we need to do more work in prevention, in research and in supporting people living with cancer,” Berry said.