The Irish Cancer Society is encouraging individuals to participate in age-appropriate cancer screenings and to consult their GP if they notice any potential symptoms.
One in two individuals will develop cancer during their lifetime, with the disease remaining the leading cause of death in Ireland annually, reports RTE.
Research revealed that 17% of people had not visited their GP in over a year, while 41% had not seen their GP for up to one year, and 6% were not registered with a GP.
Early diagnosis can significantly improve outcomes, and through its Your Health Matters campaign, the Irish Cancer Society is calling on anyone experiencing symptoms or worries to seek medical checks without delay, reports RTE.
Director of Clinical Affairs at the Irish Cancer Society Amy Nolan stated that the five most prevalent cancer types in Ireland are bowel, lung, breast, prostate, and skin.
She noted that there is a “lot that people can do to keep an eye on themselves to prevent those cancers”.
She emphasised that early detection is “really key” and advised those with concerns to speak to their GP or call the ICS cancer nurse support line, reports RTE.
“If you identify something early, it means that the types of treatments may be less severe.
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“So it may be that a lump might need to have surgery and then not necessarily to have chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or radiotherapy.
“And so it [early detection] does make a big difference to survival also,” she said, reports RTE.
She encouraged anyone with “any concerns at all” to see their GP “just to get them checked out”, where the doctor will discuss the next steps.
“And it may be nothing, and that can be good to know as well, it can be reassuring,” she said, reports RTE.
Ms Nolan outlined preventive measures such as maintaining a healthy weight, cutting down on alcohol, quitting smoking, increasing physical activity, and “being sun smart as well”, reports RTE.
She indicated that these factors are among the “majority symptoms” raised by people contacting the Irish Cancer Society.
She explained that ICS nurses can perform BMI [Body Mass Index] checks and blood pressure checks, reports RTE.
But “really the impact is the conversation around screening programmes as well, so encouraging people to attend Breastcheck if they’re between 50 and 69, Cervicalcheck, or Bowelcheck”.
CervicalCheck provides free cervical screening tests to women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 65.
While bowel screening in Ireland targets men and women aged 58 to 70 with no symptoms of bowel cancer, a change that in October extended eligibility to those aged 58, reports RTE.
“They are all screening programmes that are in existence that are really good and really good at detecting cancers early,” she said, reports RTE.
“So we encourage people within those age cohorts and genders to attend those screening programmes also,” reports RTE.
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