Data analysis revealed 137 Tasmanians died from blood cancer in 2015, up from 85 deaths in 2006. 

The Leukaemia Foundation analysed Australian Bureau of Statistics causes of death data, releasing results on Tuesday, which found the number of Australians dying from blood cancer was now double those dying from melanoma. 

Leukaemia Foundation chief executive Bill Petch warned that mystery still shrouded the causes of blood cancer.

“Despite being the third biggest cause of cancer death in this country, many of us still aren’t aware of the disease and the devastating impact it has on families in our communities,” Mr Petch said. 

“More people than ever are dying of blood cancer,” he said.   

Diseases including leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma are blood cancers. Mr Petch said research into some blood cancers, particularly lymphoma, received relatively little government funding support.

“We urgently need to find ways to fund more of this critical work,” he said. 

A federal Health Department spokeswoman said the federal government had two key sources of funding for blood cancer research. Federal funding included more than $338 million for research related to haematological cancers through the National Health and Medical Research Council since 2000, she said. She said research funding was also provided through Cancer Australia.  

Mr Petch encouraged Tasmanians to support cancer fundraiser, the World’s Greatest Shave, in March. For information visit www.worldsgreatestshave.com