Survival rates for cancers vary wildly, says study

People suffering from stomach, ovarian, and kidney cancers are more likely to die early in Ireland than almost anywhere else in Europe.

The finding, which contrasts with a series of survival rate improvements across almost all other forms of the condition, has been highlighted in a major new National Cancer Registry of Ireland study.

The latest report, covering the years 2009 to 2011, has found Ireland is among the countries with the best survival rates for skin, prostate and non-Hodgkins lymphoma cancers.

The near-5,000 people diagnosed with these conditions every year are consistently among the 10 most likely populations out of 24 European countries to survive for at least five years — a point considered a key indicator of long-term survival.

However, the research said that people living with other cancers in Ireland are facing a completely different situation.

Those living with stomach (526 new diagnoses a year), ovarian (344), and kidney (509) cancers are 20% less likely to survive than their counterparts in other nations, with Ireland’s record on the conditions currently ranked between the 18th and 24th out of 24 European countries.

NCRI director Harry Comber said while it is unclear exactly why the contrast in survival rates is happening, potential issues such as people simply “presenting quite late” with symptoms could be affecting the results.

The NCRI findings are contained in a wider report which found that as many as 19,000 people are diagnosed with invasive cancers in this country every year, resulting in 9,000 deaths every 12 months.

One in eight cancer diagnoses during the period involved people aged under 40, with 163 cases concerning children under the age of 15.

The most common form of cancer in men during the period ranged from leukaemia in the under-15s, to testicular cancer in the 15-to-24 age group, and non-melanoma skin cancer among people aged 25 to 39.

Among women, cervical cancer is the leading diagnosis among people aged 15 to 24 and 25 to 39.

Overall, fewer people are dying from cancer in Ireland now than 20 years ago, with all-cancer mortality rates among people aged up to 39 declining substantially.

Among the reasons for the reduction include research breakthroughs, greater public awareness of the causes of cancer, and changes to general lifestyle habits.

Further details of the National Cancer Registry of Ireland report can be found at www.ncri.ie.