Which statement is true about cancer prevalence in 2022?

• A. Cancer prevalence is 1 in 50 Australians in 2022
• B. Cancer prevalence is higher than cardiovascular disease prevalence in all populations
• C. Cancer prevalence equals 1 in 25 Australians
• D. Cancer prevalence is 1 in 1000 Australians

Answer: (A)

Prevalence is the number of people living with cancer at a given time, reflecting survival as well as how many people have aged into risk over time. In 2022, about two percent of Australians were living with cancer, which is roughly one in fifty. This aligns with survival improvements and an aging population, meaning a meaningful portion of people continues to live with cancer years after diagnosis.

The other statements don’t fit the data: one in twenty-five would be about four percent, which is higher than the observed prevalence for that year; one in a thousand would be only 0.1%, far too low for the actual number living with cancer; and cancer prevalence being higher than cardiovascular disease prevalence in all populations isn’t supported because cardiovascular disease often affects a large share of populations and its prevalence varies by setting and time.