The incidence of skin cancer is higher among women living in affluent areas of the State, according to a report out today.
The report, from the Women's Health Council and the National Cancer Registry, also finds that the incidence of melanoma of the skin among women in the Republic is 25 per higher than in the UK.
Dr Harry Comber, director of the National Cancer Registry, said it was possible the incidence of melanoma of the skin was higher in women in affluent areas because of "better detection" and as a result of women in these areas getting more sun exposure as a result of being able to afford more sun holidays.
However, he said there was no obvious explanation for the higher rates of skin cancer among women here than in the UK.
The report, Women and Cancer in Ireland 1994-2001, says the reasons for differences in cancer incidence and mortality rates between the Republic and other countries needs to be investigated.
It states the incidence of breast cancer is also higher among women in affluent areas, but rates of cancer of the lung, cervix, pancreas and stomach are higher for women living in more deprived areas.
Overall it says cases of cancer among women are increasing. In 1994, some 5,848 cases of malignant cancer were diagnosed. This year some 7,400 women are expected to be diagnosed. This is largely due to people living longer and growth in the population. Some 3,500 women die from cancer each year.
One striking finding is that older women are much less likely to receive treatment for cancer than women in younger age groups.
"The reasons for this are not entirely clear, but it is possibly because older women often have co-existing medical conditions which act as contra-indications for treatment.
"In addition, there may be a perception among clinicians that treatments are less effective among older women or that this group may be more badly affected by the toxicity of treatments . . . although these conclusions are not supported by research evidence," the report says.
It also finds the incidence of, and deaths from, ovarian cancer and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in the Republic are among the highest in western Europe. However, rates of cancer of the uterus here are lower.
It says that while colorectal cancer incidence in the Republic and the United States are similar, mortality rates in Ireland are 26 per cent higher. A pilot programme for colorectal cancer screening should be considered, it says.