Irish men are at greater risk of getting cancer and dying from it than women, according to a new report.

The report, commissioned by the Irish Cancer Society, shows that:

* Men have significantly higher incidence rates of bowel, lung, bladder and stomach cancers, ranging from 1.6 to three times the rate in females.

* Men have higher death rates for all major cancers examined in the report, including melanoma of the skin.

* Even though females were more likely to develop melanoma, males were more likely to die from it than women.

* Cancer death rates in men ranged from 1.6 to 2.7 times the rate in women.

The report also found that make risk of death from bowel cancer increases over time, becoming significantly higher than the female risk of death after one year post-diagnosis.

Also, male survival from lung cancer is significantly lower than female survival from this condition, the report found.

According to the Cancer Society, many of the findings can be explained by lifestyle factors, such as higher tobacco use in men, greater alcohol consumption, poor diet, higher obesity levels and physical inactivity.

Also, men tend to present later with cancer signs, resulting in later diagnosis and lower chances of survival.

The report was carried out for the Cancer Society by the Centre for Men's Health at Carlow Institute of Technology and the National Cancer Registry of Ireland.

According to Dr Noel Richardson, Director of the Centre for Men's Health, cancer represents a major proportion of the burden of ill-health experienced by the Irish male population.

"Lifestyle factors amount for a large proportion of this excess burden and are particularly crucial for men in lower socio-economic groups."

"The publication of today’s report gives a solid evidence base for what action needs to be taken by both policy makers and service providers so they can engage more effectively with all men, to improve health and well-being and to bring down the incidence of cancer and the number of men dying from cancer," Dr Richardson said.