Lung cancer death rates among Irish women are 55% higher than the EU average, a new report from the National Cancer Registry (NCR) has revealed.

According to Cancer in Ireland 1994-2012: Annual Report of the National Cancer Registry, while the incidence of many cancers is increasing, in general, there have also been many improvements in early detection, treatment and survival rates.

The report paid particular attention to 2010-2012 - the most recent three-year period for which full data is available. It found that on average, around 36,000 newly diagnosed tumours were registered each year and of these, over 20,000 were invasive cancers.

Over half of cancer cases each year were made up of four specific cancers - prostate (3,400 per year), breast (2,800), colorectal (2,500) and lung (2,300).

The report noted that in relation to melanoma, breast, prostate, kidney and thyroid cancer, there has been ‘a marked shift towards earlier stages at diagnosis, reflecting improvements in early detection'.

When it came to cancer deaths, the report stated that the disease continues to be the second biggest killer in Ireland, after heart-related deaths. Between 2010 and 2012, an average of almost 9,000 people from cancer died each year.

Lung cancer was ‘by far' the biggest cancer killer between 2010 and 2012, with around 1,800 deaths each year. This was followed by colorectal (990 deaths), breast (680), prostate (550) and pancreatic cancer(490).

The report found that compared to the EU average, cancer mortality rates in Ireland in 2012 were 14% higher for Irish women, but 9% lower for Irish men.

"For women, lung cancer mortality for Ireland was substantially (55%) higher than the EU average," the NCR said.

However, the report also noted that survival rates for most cancers have improved over time.

"Some of the more striking improvements have been seen for colorectal, breast, kidney, testicular and prostate cancers and for multiple myeloma, lymphoma and leukaemia. However, across 10 major cancer types the recently published CONCORD-2 study indicated that, in general, Ireland remained approximately mid-way in the ranking of survival estimates among European countries," the NCR stated.

The report also pointed out that with earlier diagnoses and better treatment, the number of cancer survivors in Ireland is increasing. This growing population ‘has implications for health service provisions in the decades ahead', it added.