Paul Nicholas Gogarty
Question:515 Mr. Gogarty asked the Minister for Health and Children the rates of prostate cancer here; if they are increasing; and the measures being taken to deal with the problem. [12117/03]
Written Answers. - Incidence of Prostate Cancer.
The information requested by the Deputy in relation to the rates of prostate cancer is provided by the National Cancer Registry in the following tabular statement.
Table 1
Number of cases and incidence rates of malignant prostate cancer diagnosed 1994-2000.
|
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
EAPC |
|
|
% |
||||||||
|
No. of Cases |
1,068 |
1,112 |
1,147 |
1,180 |
1,244 |
1,378 |
1,525 |
5.8 |
|
Crude Rate |
59.89 |
62.18 |
63.72 |
64.94 |
67.64 |
74.12 |
81.09 |
4.8 |
|
EASR |
68.98 |
70.83 |
72.77 |
73.77 |
77.48 |
84.89 |
93.22 |
4.9 |
|
WASR |
42.6 |
44.19 |
45.47 |
45.83 |
49.46 |
54.29 |
60.65 |
5.7 |
Crude Rate: Number of cases diagnosed per 100,000 population per year
EASR: European Age Standardised Rate: Incidence rate observed when data are age standardised to a European model.
WASR: World Age Standardised Rate: Incidence rate observed when data are age standardised to a world model.
EAPC: Estimated annual percentage change.
The National Cancer Registry has informed my Department that in 2000, 1,525 cases of malignant prostate cancer were diagnosed in Ireland. An examination of data from the period 1994, the year in which the registry began registering cancers nationwide, to 2000, the year for which the most recent data are available, shows an estimated annual percentage increase of 5.8% in the rates of malignant prostate cancer. The registry has advised my Department that approximately 1% of this is due to population growth.
Since the implementation of the national cancer strategy commenced in 1997, there has been a cumulative additional investment of approximately €400 million in the development of appropriate treatment and care services for people with cancer. This includes the sum of €29 million which was provided this year to ensure that we continue to address increasing demands in cancer services in such areas as oncology-haematology services, oncology drug treatments and symptomatic breast disease services.
In recognition of the need to further develop cancer services, the national health strategy identified the need for the preparation of a new national cancer strategy. The national cancer strategy, 2003, is currently being developed by the National Cancer Forum in conjunction with my Department. As part of this work, a sub-group of the National Cancer Forum has been established on generic screening. This multidisciplinary group has reviewed all issues relating to screening, including examining specific diseases such as prostate and colorectal cancer. The group's recommendations will inform the development of the new national cancer strategy 2003.
The strategy will build on the progress that has been made during the implementation of the first national cancer strategy and set out the key investment areas to be targeted for the development of cancer services over the coming years. It will also make recommendations in relation to the organisation and structure of cancer services nationally.