More people are being diagnosed with cancer but their chances of surviving have improved “substantially” over the past 20 years, new data published on Tuesday shows.

The report from the National Cancer Registry Ireland indicates survival rates are now up to 30 per cent higher than in the 1990s, largely driven by earlier diagnoses and improved treatments.

On average, 46,818 cancers or related tumours were diagnosed each year during the period 2021 to 2023, according to the report Cancer in Ireland 1994 to 2023.

The most common cancer among males in the most recent three-year period examined was prostate cancer, accounting for 31 per cent of cancers among boys and men, and breast cancer the most common among females, accounting for 33 per cent of cancers among girls and women.

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“Considering both sexes combined, prostate (17 per cent) and breast cancer (15 per cent) were the most commonly diagnosed cancers overall, followed by colorectal cancer (11 per cent), lung cancer (11 per cent) and melanoma of skin (5 per cent),” says the report.

“Lung cancer was the leading cause of cancer death in both sexes, accounting for approximately one in five cancer deaths overall (20 per cent) and ranking first for both males (19.9 per cent) and females (19.4 per cent).”

Over the 30 years authors found trends for all invasive cancers combined (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer) “showed sustained improvements in mortality for both males and females”, says the report.

In males, overall cancer incidence has declined since 2009, following earlier increases largely driven by prostate cancer. This type of cancer in boys and men has stabilised more recently and death from it has declined steadily since 2002.

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In females, all incidence of cancer has remained broadly stable, with increases in breast cancer offset by a “clear and sustained decline” in mortality rates over the 30 years.

“Over the same period, mortality from all invasive cancers decreased significantly in both sexes, reflecting long-term progress in cancer prevention, early detection and treatment,” says the report.

In contrast, melanoma of the skin showed a strong and continuing increase in incidence in both males and females. “Melanoma mortality trends differed by sex, remaining relatively stable in males, while showing a significant increase in females in recent years,” the study notes.

Dr Theresa Redaniel, acting director at the National Cancer Registry Ireland, described the overall report as “positive”.

“The likelihood of dying from cancer in Ireland is decreasing and survival rates are improving across many cancer types,” she said.

“These sustained improvements reflect progress in earlier diagnosis, and significant advances in treatments. This progress means that more people are now living with and beyond cancer than ever before.

“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,” she said.

“That is a significant change and highlights again the advances we have made in prevention and earlier diagnosis.”

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Mortality from cancer for those aged 75 years or younger is now 11 per cent lower than the European Union average. For a small number of cancers, particularly oesophageal and ovarian, rates remain higher in Ireland than the EU average – but trends in Ireland show that mortality rates are falling for these cancers.

Improvements have also been observed in cancers where treatment has vastly improved, such as multiple myeloma and prostate cancer.

Redaniel stressed it was “important to understand what was behind the rising numbers”.

“Much of the increase reflects growth in overall population, and an ageing population – not a higher individual risk of developing cancer.”