Cancer survival rates in Ireland are still below the European average, despite recent improvements, reports a study published yesterday.
The study, compiled by the Eurocare Group, shows survival of cancer patients in Ireland from 2000-2002 to be above the European average for men (48 per cent) but below the average for women (52 per cent).
Figures for cancer survival in Ireland were broadly similar to those in the UK, but considerably poorer than Scandinavian countries and better than eastern European nations.
The study, published in the Lancet Oncologyjournal, is the largest international project to compare survival of patients. It is the first to directly compare cancer survival in Ireland with that in other European countries.
"Our own data shows that cancer survival is improving and we anticipate that our survival rate will come closer to that of the better European countries over the next few years," said Dr Harry Comber of the National Cancer Registry, the Irish participant in the study.
In Ireland, from 2000-2002, survival was better than the European average for cancer of the cervix and myeloid leukaemia. For cancers of the stomach, bowel and breast, it was much worse. The survival rate for Hodgkin's disease was also low in Ireland.
The Irish Cancer Society said it was not surprised by the findings but that it was very disappointed.
"There has so far been a failure on the part of the HSE [Health Service Executive] to introduce health promotions that make an impact on public behaviour," said John McCormack of the Irish Cancer Society.
"It is intolerable that BreastCheck has only recently been introduced in the west and that there is no national cervical cancer screening programme," he said.
The Department of Health and Children welcomed the reports, saying the Government was "committed to making the full range of cancer control services available and accessible to cancer patients throughout Ireland".
The study also suggests about half of the variation in survival rates across Europe could be explained by health spending. However, some eastern European countries almost matched Ireland's performance despite spending less than half the Irish health budget per head of population.
Labour Party spokesperson on health Liz McManus said because of the financial resources in Ireland we should not be lagging behind in survival rates for various forms of cancer.
"What these figures show is that there are people losing their lives to cancer in Ireland, who would survive if they lived elsewhere in Europe . . . I hope the Government will treat these shocking figures seriously," she said.
The study concluded that if all countries attained a mean survival rate similar to the 57 per cent in Scandinavia, about 150,000 fewer cancer deaths would occur in the five years after diagnosis.
Ongoing work at the National Cancer Registry shows that survival rates for most cancers are continuing to improve in Ireland. Breast cancer patients diagnosed between 1999 and 2003 had a five-year relative survival rate 8 per cent higher than those diagnosed between 1994 and 1998.
