A conference in Dublin has heard cancer survival rates have increased by almost 10% over the past decade and that this increase is expected to continue.
Survival rates for all the main cancers are increasing year on year in Ireland.
Today, an estimated 110,000 people are alive and well five years after being diagnosed with the disease.
Four out of every five women who develop breast cancer beat it.
The increased survival rate is being attributed to earlier diagnosis and medical advances in the treatment of the disease.
Consultant Medical Oncologist at Cork University Hospital, Dr Seamus O'Reilly says it is also down to better integration of services provided by the eight specialised cancer care centres around the country.
However, Dr O'Reilly said that as more people survive, the challenge now is to make sure those patients stay well.
