Irish women fifth-highest cancer sufferers in Europe

Irish women are at a greater risk from dying of cancer than women in most European countries, a new survey by the European Institute of Oncology reveals.

37 countries were surveyed between 1995 and 1999.

The results revealed that Irish women had the fifth-highest cancer mortality rate in Europe.

Women are affected more in the Czech Republic, Scotland, Hungary.

Denmark had the highest mortality rate for women.

The survey also shows the nuber of Irish women suffering from cancer is nearly five times that of Belarus, a country that is still suffering from radiation following the world's biggest nuclear disaster in 1986.

Although the number of women with breast cancer in Ireland was fifth-highest of the countries surveyed, death rates from the condition have been in decline here.