Skin cancer is by far the most common type of cancer in Ireland but it is rarely fatal, a new report states. According to a report by the National Cancer Registry presented to the Southern Health Board yesterday, cancers of the lung, bowel and breast account for more than 40 per cent of all cancer deaths in the Republic.
Skin cancer accounted for 33 per cent (6,408 cases) of all new cancers reported to the registry in 1994, but skin cancer accounted for only 36 deaths in 1994.
Lung cancer was the largest single killer, accounting for 1,557 or 21 per cent of all cancer deaths in 1994; bowel cancer accounted for 917 deaths (12 per cent), with breast cancer accounting for 641 deaths (9 per cent).
The study - presented to the SHB by its director of public health, Dr Elizabeth Keane - also found that there was no major difference in the cancer risks to men and women despite some cancers being a problem for just one sex.
Women had a slightly increased overall chance of developing cancer than men - 5.5 women in every 1,000 as opposed to 5.3 men, the study revealed.
The report also showed that the risk of cancer increased with age: one person in 120 will develop cancer between 30 and 35, one in 14 will develop cancer between 60 and 65 and one in six will develop cancer between 75 and 80.
The survey found that in the Southern Health Board area, counties Cork and Kerry, skin cancer was the most common form of cancer, accounting for 36.6 per cent of cancer cases in men and 33.8 per cent in women.
Prostate cancer was the next most common form of cancer affecting men in Cork and Kerry, accounting for 11.4 per cent, followed by bowel cancer, accounting for 9.7 per cent, and lung cancer, accounting for 9.2 per cent. Breast cancer accounted for 16.3 per cent of cancers among women, followed by bowel and cervical cancers, which each accounted for 8 per cent of cases.
Dr Keane said while the survey did not give a detailed geographical breakdown on cancers, it did appear there was no evidence that the Cork harbour area had an exceptionally high or above-average level of cancer cases.