What are the odds that cancer could affect you or someone you love this year?
It’s a confronting question – but one that highlights why financial protection matters just as much as financial growth.
Building a wealth plan is vital for achieving financial freedom. Yet without a protection plan in place, that freedom can disappear quickly if life takes an unexpected turn. Cancer is one of those challenges that can strike any family, often with financial as well as emotional consequences.
Key Cancer Statistics
- Estimated new cases: Around 170,000 Australians will be diagnosed with cancer this year.
- Cancer deaths: Cancer is expected to account for about three in every ten deaths nationwide.
- Five-year survival rate: Has improved dramatically – from 50% (1987–1991) to 72% (2017–2021) thanks to better detection and treatment.
- Mortality rate: Dropped from 257 deaths per 100,000 people in 2000 to 194 per 100,000 in 2025 (age-standardised).
- Prevalence: Nearly one million Australians have been diagnosed with cancer in the past decade.
Trends and Insights
- Younger diagnoses: More people in their 30s and 40s are being diagnosed.
- Gender gap: Males remain more likely to be diagnosed than females.
- Improving survival: Especially among younger Australians, with significant declines in mortality rates.
Most Common Cancers in Australia
- Prostate cancer
- Breast cancer
- Melanoma
- Colorectal (bowel) cancer
- Lung cancer
Why It Matters for Financial Planning
When health is impacted, financial stress can follow. Medical costs, time off work, and lifestyle adjustments all add pressure at a time when families need stability most. A well-structured trauma or critical illness insurance plan can provide a financial safety net, helping you focus on recovery rather than bills.
Protecting wealth isn’t just about investments – it’s about ensuring that when the unexpected happens, your plans and the people who depend on you are supported.
