Cancer In Ireland

  • On average, 46,818 cancers or related tumours were diagnosed each year during 2021-2023
  • The figure most often quoted in international comparisons (‘all invasive cancer, excluding NMSC’) averaged 26,528 cases (14,143 males and 12,385 females) diagnosed annually during 2021-2023, or 57% of all registered tumours. Most invasive cancers can be life-changing and can require extensive treatment, though their impact varies significantly.
  • Approximately 24% of all registered tumours (almost 1 in 4) were non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSC).
    Approximately 20% (1 in 5) of all registered tumours were non-malignant neoplasms (in-situ carcinomas, tumours of uncertain behaviour and benign brain and CNS tumours).
  • Excluding non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), prostate cancer in males (31.8%) and breast cancer in
    females (32.6%) were the most commonly diagnosed invasive cancers, each accounting for
    approximately one-third of all incident cancers in males and females respectively.
    Considering both sexes combined, prostate (17.0%) and breast cancer (15.3%) were the most
    commonly diagnosed cancers overall, followed by colorectal cancer (10.8%), lung cancer (10.8%), and
    melanoma of skin (5.3%).
    Lung cancer was the leading cause of cancer death in both sexes, accounting for approximately 1 in 5
    cancer deaths overall (19.7%) and ranking first for both males (19.9%) and females (19.4%).
    For both sexes combined, colorectal cancer (10.4%), breast cancer (7.6%), prostate cancer (6.2%), and
    pancreatic cancer (6.1%) ranked next after lung cancer as leading causes of cancer mortality.
  • At the end of 2023, an estimated 230,946 people were living in Ireland with a previous diagnosis of invasive cancer (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer), representing approximately 4.4% of the Irish population.
    This total reflects complete cancer prevalence, combining observed survivors diagnosed since the establishment of national cancer registration in 1994 with a small, diminishing estimated group of survivors diagnosed prior to 1994.
    Prevalence was evenly distributed by sex, with 51% female and 49% male survivors.
    The most common cancers among survivors were breast cancer (22.5% of all cancer survivors), prostate cancer (21.4%), colorectal cancer (10.3%) and skin melanoma (7.1%)
  • Cancer survival in Ireland has improved markedly over the past two decades, with five-year age-standardised net survival for all invasive cancers combined (excluding NMSC) rising from 50% in 1999–2003 to 66% in 2019–2023.

Reference NCRI_AnnualStatReport_2026

All data sourced from the National Cancer Registry of Ireland (NCRI) (www.ncri.ie) and the Central Statistics Office (www.cso.ie)

Cancer prevention

4 in 10 cancers can be prevented through lifestyle changes. Find out how you can reduce your cancer risk on our Your Health: Your Choice page.

Cancer services

The Marie Keating offers a number of free cancer services to both men and women.

There are also cancer support centres and services available all over Ireland. You can find a list of these services here.

Some companies offer products and services that will be of interest to people affected by cancer.

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