Men ‘three times more likely’ to get cancer

Men are up to three times more at risk of getting common cancers than women, according to a new report.

Even where women have a higher incidence of getting a cancer, men are more likely to die from it, the report published today by the Irish Cancer Society shows.

The incidence of colorectal (bowel), lung, bladder and stomach cancers is between 1.6 and three times the rates of incidence in women.

Mortality rates in men ranged from 1.6 times to 2.7 times the mortality rate in females.

Even though women were more likely to develop melanoma of the skin, males were more likely to die from the disease.

The report, Excess Burden of Cancer among Men in the Republic of Ireland, attributes higher cancer rates among men to lifestyle factors such as smoking, alcohol, unhealthy diets, obesity and low levels of physical activity.

Late diagnosis resulting in lower survival chances is also seen as a factor.

Dr Noel Richardson, director of the Men's Health Centre at Carlow Institute of Technology, said lifestyle factors were particularly crucial for men in lower socio-economic groups.

He said the report provided a solid evidence base for the action that policy-makers needed to take in order to reduce male cancer rates.

The authors repeat the recommendations of many other health reports by calling for further controls on the marketing of tobacco and alcohol. They also say specific programmes should be developed to promote early detection and help-seeking among men.