Report finds that cancer remains the leading cause of death in Ireland, with around 10,000 tumour-related deaths recorded here annually
Ireland has a higher-than-average success rate in treating premature tumours, but has high levels of cancer mortality overall – due to our ageing population – a new report has found.
The ‘Cancer in Ireland 1994–2023’ document from the National Cancer Registry of Ireland (NCRI) highlights how survival rates have improved dramatically since the turn of the century.
The five-year age standardised net survival for all invasive cancers rose from 50 per cent in the period 1999-2003 to 66 per cent in 2019–2023.
Roughly 10,000 people in Ireland annually die from cancer, with this figure rising in recent years. Among people of all ages, Ireland’s cancer mortality rate is 2.6 per cent higher than the EU average – a figure attributed to our relatively high life expectancy.
However, among people aged 0-74 years, Ireland’s cancer mortality rate is 11 per cent below the EU average, highlighting a high performance in the detection and treatment of premature tumours.
“While more people are being diagnosed with cancer as our population grows and ages, the likelihood of dying from cancer is decreasing, and survival is improving across many cancer types,” said NCRI acting director Dr Theresa Redaniel.
The report found that, over the last 30 years in Ireland, survival has improved across all cancer types.
Relative to other EU member states, Ireland has low death rates for cancers linked to early diagnosis, such as cervical and colorectal cancers. Improvements have also been observed in cancers where treatment modalities have vastly improved, such as multiple myeloma and prostate cancer.
For a small number of cancers, particularly oesophageal and ovarian, rates remain higher than the EU average – but trends in Ireland show that mortality rates are falling for these cancers.
“These results show what can be achieved through sustained development in cancer care – but they also highlight where more work is needed,” explained Dr Redaniel.
“Continued investment in early detection, treatment and survivorship services will be essential to sustain progress and address cancers where outcomes are not improving. High-quality national cancer data are essential to understanding these trends and guiding action.”
Cancer remains the leading cause of mortality in Ireland, accounting for almost 30 per cent of all deaths. While the number of tumour-related deaths rose in the past three decades, so too did population levels – from 3.6 million in 1994 to 5.3 million in 2023.
“Twenty years ago, only half of patients diagnosed could expect to be alive five years after diagnosis. Today, two-thirds can, with survival for some cancers as high as 95 per cent. That is a significant change and highlights again the advances we have made in prevention and earlier diagnosis,” Dr Redaniel said.