Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for being present to discuss this issue. One of the first Topical Issues I raised here, with my colleague, Deputy Kieran O'Donnell, regarded an extension of BreastCheck, the national screening programme to detect breast cancer among women. At the time, women aged between 50 and 64 could avail of this programme, but there was evidence that women from the ages of 64 to 69 were also at quite a high risk.

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The figures show that 87 women's lives would be saved a year if this was introduced. Thankfully, in last October's budget, the Minister for Health, Deputy Varadkar, agreed to this change and to extend it. No doubt by the end of the year or next year, the figures will show that countless lives will be saved.

We also have a screening programme called CervicalCheck for young women. At the age of 25, they receive a letter - it is something I received - to tell them that they can avail of a free smear test to check for cervical cancer. Sometimes young women can be shy or nervous about doing this, but when one gets a letter to say that the service is there, that it is free to avail of and that other young women of the same age are availing of it, one is more likely to go. These two services, combined with raising awareness on a national scale, will continue to save lives.

We have begun to talk about cancer a lot more in recent years than we have done in the past. It is not the secret that people kept a long time ago and the more we talk about it, the more we raise awareness.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men in Ireland, apart from non-melanoma skin cancer which is a non-invasive cancer. Some 29% of all men diagnosed with cancer have a diagnosis of prostate cancer. It can be detected by a simple blood test. As with most cancers, if one diagnoses it early the likelihood of beating the disease and making a full recovery is extremely high.

However, sometimes men are reluctant to visit GPs. I hope men do not mind me saying this, but sometimes they have to be on their death-bed before they go to a GP or before their other half or a family member makes them go. If it were part of a screening programme and if they were to receive a letter to encourage them to go, it might encourage more men to do so. For example, a couple of weeks ago a gentleman in my constituency - he is not somebody who I would know - had a two-page article in the local newspaper essentially telling his story. He was 57 years old when he found out he had prostate cancer and it tore his world apart. He managed to survive it. One point he made with which I would agree is that there was no national programme to encourage men. There is advice but if men were to receive a letter through the door stating the service is there for them to avail of, they would be more likely to take it on board.

According to the statistics, over 3,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year. Sadly, approximately 500 of those will lose their lives. A startling figure is that 11% of all cancer deaths in Ireland are those of prostate patients.

I would ask the Minister to look at this. Previous studies have shown that there is not sufficient evidence to recommend the introductory programme but if one were to look at further figures, one in 10,000 men under the age of 40, one in 38 aged between 40 to 59, and one in 14 for ages 60 to 69 will be diagnosed. If one thinks of one's grandfather, father, brothers, uncles, cousins and neighbours and work colleagues, the likelihood is high of one, two or many more of those having prostate cancer in a couple of years' time and I do not see how introducing a screening programme that could detect this early would do any harm. Somebody stated it would do more harm than good but I do not see how that would be the case. This is an extremely important issue. CervicalCheck and BreastCheck have saved lives and I think we need something similar for men.

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin North Central, Labour)
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I thank Deputy McEntee for raising this important issue. The importance of early detection of cancer is fully accepted by Government. Population-based screening programmes are an important element of early detection and have been introduced for cancers in Ireland where international evidence supports this approach. At present, available evidence has given rise to population-based screening programmes being recommended for bowel, breast and cervical cancer and such programmes have been introduced here.

However, there is currently insufficient evidence to recommend the introduction of a prostate cancer screening programme. Instead, the focus is on the early detection of such cancers through rapid access clinics that have been established in the eight designated cancer centres. These clinics provide access to early diagnosis and multidisciplinary decision-making for prostate cancer, with patients who are deemed to be at higher risk being fast-tracked to the clinics. Men referred to these prostate clinics undergo comprehensive assessment, with appropriate imaging and biopsies.

Apart from non-melanoma skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in Ireland. In recent years, the rapid access prostate clinics have seen between 2,400 and 2,800 men annually. Approximately 1,300 of these patients each year have had a diagnosis of a prostate cancer, a diagnosis rate of 40%. It is vital, therefore, that men are aware of the symptoms of prostate diseases and present early to their GP. The Deputy's comments about the reluctance of men to do this sometimes are well made.

Last month my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, launched clinical guidelines on the diagnosis, staging and treatment of patients with prostate cancer. These guidelines, which were approved by the national clinical effectiveness committee, represent a significant step forward in dealing with prostate cancer in Ireland.

Survival from cancer has improved markedly in recent years and is expected to increase further when the long-term effects of the reforms in cancer care under the current cancer strategy, including screening programmes, impact more fully. However, it is predicted that the total number of cancer cases will rise in the coming years, with better diagnosis combined with an increasing, and aging, population.

The Department of Health is currently working on the development of a national cancer strategy to provide the focus for cancer control for the next decade. A steering group has been established to inform this work. The Department of Health is currently running a public consultation process on the new strategy and I would encourage individuals, organisations and Members of this House to contribute to the process before the closing date of 24 July.

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his response. I acknowledge we have the rapid access prostate clinics but, as he stated, it is for men who have been referred on. One of the biggest problems is that men are less likely to go to their GPs and they are less likely to be referred on if they do not get to that stage.

I suggest something as simple as a letter encouraging men. It is difficult to have an open-ended scheme, as with CervicalCheck or BreastCheck, as one must pick a certain age demographic. Men aged between 60 and 69 have a one in 14 chance of developing prostate cancer and six in ten cases are found in men over the age of 65, and it would be possible to start something like this targeted at those ages where it is most prevalent.

As I said, 3,000 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed this year in Ireland. Ireland has the fourth highest incidence of prostate cancer in 27 EU countries and this is 50% higher than the EU average. I would urge the Minister of State to take this on board because no Member of this House can say he or she does not know somebody who has had prostate cancer. The same is so with breast cancer or cervical cancer. It is extremely important and I thank him for taking this issue.

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin North Central, Labour)
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On the consultation process on the new national cancer strategy, I would encourage individuals, organisations the Deputy might know to contribute to that process before the closing date of 24 July.

The Department of Health and the national screening service in the HSE will continue to review emerging international evidence on screening, including any developments that arise in relation to prostate cancer. The final point I would make is that any man who has a concern about possible prostate cancer should seek the advice of his GP, who will, where necessary, refer him to a rapid access clinic. I take on board the points made by the Deputy.