Prostate cancer rates higher in west of Ireland
There were more cases of prostate cancer registered in the west of Ireland than in the rest of the country between 1994 and 2012, a report has found.
A recent study by the National Cancer Registry, which tracked cancer rates during that time, has found higher numbers of men in western counties with the disease than in other parts of the country.
The map also reveals that lung cancer was significantly higher in Louth, Carlow, Kildare and Dublin.
Acting director of the Irish Cancer Directory, Dr Harry Comber, says men in the west are not necessarily more prone to prostate cancer.
Instead, he says, that a test to detect the disease was first rolled out in the east and has spread to other parts of the country in recent years, boosting detection rates.
"If you look at it closely, the test was initially used mostly in more affluent areas, more prosperous areas where people went to doctors privately and said :'I want a get a PSA test'," he said.
"But then gradually it just spread across the country and more men right across the country started to hear about this test, and they started to go to their GP and say: 'I want to have this test done'.".
