One in ten cancer patients still smoke after diagnosis according to research from the Irish Cancer Society.
The study found that the highest rate of smoking was discovered among those with lung cancer at 25 percent.
Current smoking rates are higher in males and in particular those aged in their fifties.
Specialist in public health medicine with the HSE, Dr Paul Kavanagh says stopping smoking is the best way to avoid cancer.
Dr Kavanagh says this ''is a really important reminder of the harms caused by smoking''.
The HSE specialist went on to say that each week over 100 people die from smoking and over 1000 people are hospitalised.
The HSE Tobacco Free Ireland program conducted research which found approximately one in three cancer deaths are related to smoking.
To avoid developing cancer stopping smoking and reducing exposure to second hand smoke is the best thing a person can do according to Kavanagh.
