There are calls for urgent action to address the high level of cancer deaths in deprived parts of Northern Ireland. Cancer death rates are around 45% higher for people living in NI's most deprived areas compared to the least deprived.
That's according to a new report today from Cancer Research UK. Cancer in the UK 2025: Socioeconomic Deprivation, found that there are around 630 extra cancer deaths in Northern Ireland each year linked to socioeconomic inequality. This equates to nearly two additional deaths each day – around three in 20 of all deaths from cancer.
Around 60% of these additional deaths are caused by lung cancer, where the death rate in the most deprived areas is around two and a half times that of the least deprived areas of Northern Ireland.
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Almost a tenth of all cancer diagnoses in Northern Ireland are linked to deprivation. Many of these cases are caused by preventable risk factors such as smoking.
Smoking is the biggest cause of cancer in Northern Ireland and rates in the most deprived parts of the country are more than triple those in the least deprived. In publishing the report, Cancer Research UK is calling for urgent action to tackle these stark inequalities. One vital opportunity to do so is by introducing a lung cancer screening programme in Northern Ireland.
The UK National Screening Committee has recommended that all UK nations move towards implementing lung cancer screening to target those considered to be of high risk of developing lung cancer – people aged between 55 and 74 who either smoke or used to smoke.
A targeted lung screening programme is being introduced in England but has not yet been rolled out to Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. If lung screening were to be introduced, around 140 extra cases could be diagnosed every year in Northern Ireland at an early stage (stages 1 and 2) rather than at a late stage (stages 3 and 4).
Liz Morrison, Cancer Research UK’s public affairs manager in Northern Ireland said: "Research has consistently shown that lung screening is effective at reducing deaths from cancer. It matters because screening leads to more people being diagnosed at an earlier stage, when treatment is more likely to be successful.
"We know the health system in Northern Ireland is under enormous pressure, but lung screening would be a vital intervention as part of properly resourced, system-wide reforms that are desperately needed here. The roll out of a lung screening programme is already well underway in England and the results of pilot initiatives in Scotland and Wales are positive. Northern Ireland must not be left behind."
Last week, MLAs took historic action by voting in favour of Age of Sale legislation which seeks to make it illegal to sell tobacco to anyone born after 1st January 2009. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill is currently going through the Westminster legislative process and, to become law in Northern Ireland, MLAs were also required to support it.
Liz Morrison added: "The recent vote in favour of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill was momentous in that it marked a significant step towards ending cancers caused by smoking. It’s essential everything is done to prevent young people from taking up this harmful habit in the first place and this vote is a step towards protecting future generations from the significant harm caused by tobacco.
"Politicians in the rest of the UK must now follow suit so the new legislation can be introduced as soon as possible."
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath says urgent action is needed to address the high level of cancer deaths in deprived areas here.
The South Down MLA said: "The findings from this report are shocking, that you are almost 50% more likely to die from cancer if you live in a deprived part of the North is something that the Health Minister and department needs to take stock of, this cannot be ignored.
“There are many reasons for this increased death rate, including the prevalence of smoking and other lifestyle factors, but there can be steps taken to address this whether in the form of public information campaigns or ensuring that people in deprived areas have the same access to healthcare as everywhere else. Nobody should have a higher chance of dying from this awful disease simply because of where they live," he added.
In a statement, the Department of Health said the Health Minister has prioritised tackling the unacceptable inequalities in health outcomes in Northern Ireland and has initiated a new targeted, place-based approach called Live Better to help address this issue. The information published in this report reflects the figures published in the health inequalities annual report.
A DoH spokesperson added: "Smoking is a huge driver of both poor health outcomes and widening inequalities. The recent inclusion of Northern Ireland in the UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill is a major step towards improving our environment and helping to support and empower behaviour change.
"The UK National Screening Committee made a recommendation to introduce a targeted lung cancer screening programme in people with a history of smoking, aged between 55-74 years old. This recommendation was agreed by the former Health Minister Swann and has been included in Minister Nesbitt’s three-year strategic plan for Health and Social Care, subject to funding. We are at the early stages of scoping out what the requirements of this new programme for Northern Ireland will be.
"This will be a very significant service development encompassing new screening services and a range of additional diagnostic and treatment services. Its progress is dependent on budget and on workforce and will require input and collaboration from multiple partners.
"The Cancer Strategy recognises that early diagnosis and treatment of cancer plays a key role in delivering better outcomes for cancer patients, and maps out a plan to achieve this. Patients, wherever they live in Northern Ireland, should have equitable access cancer diagnosis, treatment and support.
"Work to establish rapid diagnosis centres, and streamline treatment pathways is underway, however significant additional investment will be required to ensure that we have equitable access for all across the region."
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