Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge the progress that has been made with regard to breast cancer and prostate cancer. Survival rates are 92% for prostate cancer, 83% for breast cancer and 63% for bowel cancer. However, when it comes to lung cancer, the statistics are stark with a survival rate of 18%. More people are killed by lung cancer than by any other cancer. More people have died from lung cancer than have died from breast cancer and colorectal cancer combined. It is the leading cause of cancer deaths in Ireland. The lung cancer mortality rate in Irish women is the fourth highest in Europe - more than 50% above the European average - and is still increasing. Cancer has overtaken heart disease as the most common cause of death in Ireland as the population grows. This translates to 1,865 deaths per year. The incidence of lung cancer is expected to increase dramatically by 119% in the next 25 or so years.

There are very significant statistics relating to health inequalities in Ireland. Lung cancer rates are 60% higher in socio-economically deprived groups than in the least deprived groups. Survival rates are also significantly lower in poorer socio-economically groups than among the better off. The statistic relating to urban and rural areas is interesting. The rate among males in urban areas is 36% higher than it is in rural areas while the rate for women in urban areas is 38% than it is in rural areas. We are talking about over 2,500 new cases of lung cancer diagnosed every year. We know the economic cost but that does not take into account the cost to individuals and their families and loved ones when a diagnosis proves to be fatal. Lung cancer research gets lower levels of funding compared to other common cancers.

Research also shows that Ireland is falling behind other EU countries with regard to patients having timely access to the most innovative treatments. For example, in 2016, only 20% of new cancer medicines that had been launched in the previous two years were available in Ireland. The figure in Portugal was 40% while the figure in Germany was 76%. Lung cancer has the fourth highest percentage of emergency presentations at 25% of all cases. We know about the association with smoking but 20% of people with lung cancer will never have smoked. We know early detection is vital. Treatment can include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and cancer medicines. There are new treatments. Research indicates the potential of immuno-oncology to improve survival rates. Immuno-oncology medicines can be used as first-line and second-line treatment, on their own or in combination with other treatments like chemotherapy. There have been developments in biomarker testing, which means that doctors can identify which lung cancer patients are likely to benefit from these new immuno-oncology treatments. Again, this is progress and Ireland needs to be part of it. At the moment, we are falling behind other EU countries with regard to timely access to the most innovative techniques. In fact, we are last out of 13 western European countries when it comes to bringing new cancer medicines to patients. This is a shame when we think of the progress made with regard to breast cancer and prostate cancer.

What is the Government planning to do to make sure those with lung cancer have access to the innovative new treatments, include immuno-oncology therapy and combination therapies? These are the treatments that are making a difference to survival rates of those with lung cancer in the countries that offer those treatments. Lung cancer patients in Ireland need and deserve the same.

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