Ireland has the second-highest rate of new cancer diagnoses in the EU, according to a report published by the European Commission.
The Irish Cancer Society referred to a profile of cancer in Ireland, included in the European Commission Country Cancer profiles, as a "mixed report card" and called on the Minister for Health to prioritise improvements in cancer care.
The profiles, which are part of the European Cancer Inequalities Registry and are published every two years starting in February 2023, provide a system for tracking cancer care and inequalities across the 27 EU states, Norway and Iceland.
Estimated cancer incidence in each country is influenced not only by cancer risk factors but also by the quality of national cancer surveillance systems and cancer screening programmes, the report said.
The profile of cancer in Ireland found 561 new cancer cases per 100,000 women and 733 new cancer cases per 100,000 men were expected in Ireland in 2022.
These figures are both higher than the predicted EU averages of 488 per 100,000 women and 684 per 100,000 men.
Meanwhile, the number of cancer cases is projected to grow by 47% in Ireland from 2022 to 2040, the second highest growth rate in the EU.
The case numbers are projected to grow by 18% in the EU in the same time, according to the European Cancer Inequalities Registry.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
Cancer types in Ireland were found to be consistent with EU patterns in both men and women.
Among women, breast cancer was expected to be the most common with 29% of cancer incidence while prostate cancer was expected to be the most common among men, also at 29%.
Lung cancer incidence among women in Ireland, however, was found to be 63% higher than the EU average.
Avoidable mortality from lung cancer among women in Ireland was 19% higher than the EU average in 2021, reflecting historically higher smoking rates compared to other EU countries.
This is despite lower smoking rates in recent years.
In contrast, among Irish men, the rate of avoidable mortality from lung cancer was 29% lower than the EU average.
Higher than average cancer mortality rate
Ireland's cancer mortality rate declined significantly between 2011 and 2021.
However, it remained 5.4% higher than the EU average and the third highest in Western Europe.
The profile showed Ireland experienced a more significant decline in avoidable mortality rates compared to the EU averages.
The profile of cancer in Ireland suggested Ireland has a shortage of GPs, radiologists, radiation therapists and other key medical personnel despite having a higher ratio of physicians and nurses per 1,000 new cancer cases.
It also warned that the cost of cancer care in Ireland is set to rise with per capita health expenditure on cancer care expected to grow by 80% in Ireland between 2023 and 2050, compared to 59% in the EU27.
The report also shone light on differences in outcomes depending on socio economic backgrounds.
In Ireland, individuals in the most deprived areas faced, on average, a 43% higher risk of mortality within five years following cancer diagnosis compared to those in the least deprived regions, the report said.
Report a 'wake-up call', says Irish Cancer Society
The Irish Cancer Society highlighted a number of "positives" which were outlined in the profile.
The report card showed that Ireland outperformed most EU countries for managing key risk factors for cancer, such as tobacco use while alcohol consumption has decreased.
The report found 51% of Irish adults engaged in insufficient physical activity in 2022, significantly lower than the EU average of 70%.
Participation in breast and cervical cancer screening is higher in Ireland than the EU average for those eligible.
CEO of the Irish Cancer Society Averil Power said the data highlights the "sad fact that you are more likely to get and die from cancer in Ireland than in many other European countries".
She added that it must serve as a "wake-up call to Government".
Ms Power said: "Without urgent action, both individuals and the State face an enormous cancer burden in the coming years. Much of this could be avoided by tackling the delays in diagnosis and treatment that are Ireland’s biggest obstacle to improved cancer outcomes.
"When cancer is picked up early, it is far easier and cheaper to treat. Investing now in expanded screening services and reduced waiting times for cancer tests and treatment would lead to significant savings for the State in the long-term. It would also save lives.
"We must also redouble our efforts to stop people getting cancer in the first place. Four out of ten cancers are preventable through lifestyle changes, like not smoking, reducing alcohol intake and maintaining a healthy weight."
Challenges in west due to social deprivation, lack of diagnostics access, says HSE official
Director of Cancer Network for HSE West and Northwest Professor Michael Kerin said today's report "copper fastens" the challenges Ireland faces in delivering a comprehensive cancer programme.
"We're aware that one in two of us will get cancer and one in three will die from it.
"Today's report shows Ireland has second highest cancer rates in EU and third highest mortality rates from cancer and we're particularly challenged here in the west of Ireland because of social deprivation and lack of access to diagnostics."
Professor Kerin said there was a plan in place now to improve services and the findings of this report shows the way forward.
"We need an integrated approach in the delivery of a comprehensive cancer programme for this region with appropriate access to early diagnosis and treatment in a functional cancer centre as we have in the National Development Plan.
"We need to deliver the Model 4 hospital here for our cancer programme and for the ambulatory cancer centres for our region."
He acknowledged the "great work" that the National Cancer Control Programme are doing with support from the Department of Health but added: "We've got to keep an eye that we don't let anything slip. We still have a way to make up particularly with diagnostic imaging for this region".
Professor Kerin said the cancer programme for Ireland was a success story overall but there are real challenges, particularly at this time of the year when he said the cancer programme was in competition with the emergency programme.
This needs to change he said, in order to improve outcomes for patients.
Additional reporting Teresa Mannion
