A report published by the National Cancer Registry of Ireland shows a five-year survival rate of nearly 100 per cent in people diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC). About 90 per cent of skin cancer cases are NMSC. Survival rates for melanoma have also improved significantly, with 92 per cent of patients now surviving at least five years.
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in Ireland, with around 11,000 people diagnosed with the disease each year. About 270 people die from skin cancer each year.
The incidence rate of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is decreasing in women, and the rate for basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is stabilising. However, the incidence rate for melanoma in women continues to increase. For men, the incidence rate of SCC is stabilising, while the BCC incidence rate is increasing at a slower pace. The melanoma, incidence rate in men stopped increasing in 2015. However, men are more likely to die from skin cancer than women. They are 1.6 times more likely to die from melanoma and 2.3 times more likely to die from NMSC.
Prof Deirdre Murray, Director of the National Cancer Registry, said: “Understanding the trends in skin cancer is vital for public health awareness and prevention strategies. Many of these cancers could be prevented with wider adoption of safe sun practices in our population and avoidance of sun beds.”
The full report can be accessed at: www.ncri.ie/sites/ncri/files/pubs/NCRI_SkinCancerReport_2025.pdf
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