ICS calling on people to visit GP, get cancer screenings
The Irish Cancer Society is urging people to avail of the appropriate cancer screenings for their age and for those who suspect any symptoms to visit their GP.
One in two people will get cancer in their lifetime, with cancer continuing to be the biggest cause of death in Ireland every year.
Research found that 17% of people had not attended their GP in more than one year, while 41% had not attended their GP for up to one year, and 6% did not have a GP.
Early detection can make all the difference, and as part of its Your Health Matters campaign, the Irish Cancer Society is urging anyone with symptoms or concerns to get checked as quickly as possible.
Director of Clinical Affairs at the Irish Cancer Society Amy Nolan said the five most common cancer types in Ireland are bowel, lung, breast, prostate, and skin.
She said there is a "lot that people can do to keep an eye on themselves to prevent those cancers".
She said early detection is "really key" and that people who are concerned should speak to their GP or contact the ICS's cancer nurse support line.
"If you identify something early, it means that the types of treatments may be less severe.
"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.
She urged people who have "any concerns at all" to visit their GP "just to get them checked out" and the GP will talk through what is necessary.
"And it may be nothing, and that can be good to know as well, it can be reassuring," she said.
Ms Nolan said ways for people to help prevent cancer include lowering their weight, reducing their alcohol intake, giving up smoking, increasing exercise and "being sun smart as well".
She said these are among the "majority symptoms" that people engaging with the Irish Cancer Society highlight.
She said ICS nurses can carry out BMI [Body Mass Index] checks and blood pressure checks.
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 offers free cervical screening tests to women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 65.
While bowel screening in Ireland is for men and women aged 58 to 70 who have no symptoms of bowel cancer, which in October was extended to those aged 58.
"They are all screening programmes that are in existence that are really good and really good at detecting cancers early," she said.
"So we encourage people within those age cohorts and genders to attend those screening programmes also."
