The 2025 Country Cancer Profiles provide the latest insights on cancer burden, prevention and care across European countries. The new edition includes a Synthesis report, highlighting the key findings and developments that emerge from the Country Profiles at the EU level.

A Cancer Performance Tracker (CaPTr) for each country enriches the analysis. CaPTr provides a snapshot of the country’s performance compared to the EU level and over time across several cancer domains: prevention, early detection, care capacity, and outcomes. This powerful tool highlights areas where countries are performing well and where substantial work remains to be done.

The Country Cancer Profiles package underlines the importance of having sound and reliable data to guide investments and policymaking. By leveraging this knowledge at national and EU levels, we can better target efforts and resources in the battle against cancer.

Ireland outperforms most EU countries in managing risk factors, particularly excelling in tobacco control policies. Over the past decade, the country has seen reductions in the share of daily cigarette smokers, in alcohol consumption, and in prevalence of overweight and obesity. Notably, prevalence of overweight among women with lower education levels has decreased significantly, aligning more closely with their counterparts with higher education levels.

Early detection

The National Screening Service’s five‑year strategic plan Choose Screening, launched in 2023, aims to deliver evidence‑based, quality-assured screening programmes. Additionally, the Service’s five‑year framework “Improving Equity in Screening “prioritises reducing gaps in screening by leveraging partnerships, technological innovations and evidence‑based approaches, including research and participant feedback. Participation in breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening declined slightly between 2019 and 2022.

Cancer care performance

Five‑year survival estimates in Ireland have increased over recent decades. Among the most common cancers, prostate cancer has the highest survival, while lung cancer has by far the lowest. Ireland utilises concentration of services, multidisciplinary team meetings and cancer care networks to improve care quality. Expenditure on cancer medicines experienced a notable increase over the decade leading to 2022. Between 2023‑50, the burden of cancer as a share of total health expenditure is expected to be higher than the EU average, as is the reduction in life expectancy due to cancer. Through diverse initiatives, the country aims to improve quality of life for cancer patients.