The table shows the incidence rate and mortality rate for two types of cancer (X, Y) with the highest mortality rate for females in Australia in 2017 - HSC - SSCE Personal Development and Physical Education - Question 20 - 2022 - Paper 1

The best explanation for why cancer Y has a lower mortality rate than cancer X is option B: Health services have been reoriented so that cancer Y is detected and treated earlier. Higher incidence rates seen in cancer Y (124.8 per 100,000) imply more cases diagnosed, yet the lower mortality rate (19.2 per 100,000) suggests effective early treatment interventions, leading to better survival outcomes. In contrast, cancer X, with a lower incidence but a higher mortality rate (21.8 per 100,000), indicates that cases may be diagnosed at later stages, resulting in worse outcomes.