Irish men are compromising their chance of receiving successful cancer treatment because they are slow in seeking medical advice, the launch of Men's Cancer Action Week was told today.
The Irish Cancer Society has issued a manual and launched an advertising campaign for its inaugural action week for men. It hopes to increase awareness of early signs of cancer and to encourage men to use primary healthcare services to improve survival rates.
Prof John Armstrong, an oncologist at St Luke's in Dublin, said men were more likely to die from cancer compared to women.
"It is well documented that compared to women, men have limited contact with their GPs, are reluctant to access primary care services and often present much late in the course of an illness," Prof Armstrong said.
He hoped the campaign begun today would make discussion about male cancers as open as women's discourse on breast cancer.
The Minster for Health, Mr Martin, said today research into why men are reluctant to use primary healthcare has been commissioned. He said the findings would inform the development of a new men's health policy.
He said the Department's expert advisory group believe there is insufficient evidence to recommend a population-based prostate screening programme but that the matter would be kept under review.
Every year, 6,100 men are diagnosed with the most common male cancers - prostate, bowel, lung, skin and testicular.