Updated report on cancer in Spain
Last Monday, January 27, the report Las cifras del cáncer en España was published, prepared by the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM) in collaboration with REDECAN.
The trend is clear: cancer remains one of the leading causes of death in Spain, but progress is also being made in detection and treatment.
Forecast for 2025: nearly 300,000 new cases
It is estimated that 296,103 new cancer cases will be diagnosed in Spain in 2025. The most common types will be colorectal, breast, lung, prostate, and bladder cancer. One alarming fact is the sustained increase in lung cancer among women, largely linked to higher tobacco use in previous decades.
At FERO, we currently fund laboratories that focus on different types of cancer, and even some that devote their research to understanding the biology of this disease beyond its location.
At FERO, we currently fund laboratories that focus on different types of cancer, and even some that devote their research to understanding the biology of this disease beyond its location.
Today, more people are living with cancer
The number of people living with cancer has increased, reflecting both advances in early detection and treatment and an ageing population. In 2020, the cancers with the highest prevalence in Spain were breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer. Survival has also improved: currently, 55.3% of men and 61.7% of women survive at least five years after diagnosis.
A strong example of progress in early detection was the major finding made thanks to a FERO-ghd project, which showed that the breast milk of patients with breast cancer diagnosed during pregnancy or postpartum contains circulating tumour DNA that could be used in the future to diagnose the tumour at early stages. Research led by Dr Cristina Saura, Head of the Breast Unit at VHIO and of the VHIO Breast Cancer Group; Dr Miriam Sansó, researcher at IdISBa; and Dr Ana Vivancos, Head of the VHIO Genomics Laboratory.
According to the report, in Spain in 2023, tumours were the leading cause of death in men (30.9% of deaths), surpassing cardiovascular diseases. In women, cardiovascular diseases were the leading cause of death (28.1%), followed by tumours (21.9%). The deadliest cancers were lung, colorectal, pancreatic, breast, and prostate cancer. However, mortality has declined in many types of tumours thanks to research and innovation in treatments.
At FERO, guided by our founder, Dr Josep Baselga, we promote translational research—research that bridges the laboratory and the clinic.
Around one third of cancer cases could be prevented with healthy lifestyle habits. Tobacco remains the main risk factor, followed by alcohol consumption, obesity, and physical inactivity. In addition, infections such as human papillomavirus (HPV) and Helicobacter pylori are also linked to several types of cancer.
The Dr Josep Tabernero, Chair of FERO’s Scientific Advisory Committee, always stresses the importance of avoiding tobacco at all costs and prioritising a balanced diet—cooking at home whenever possible and avoiding ultra-processed foods.
At FERO, we find this year’s slogan, “Cancer? No! YOUR cancer”, truly interesting, as SEOM aims to highlight the diversity of this disease and the progress of precision medicine. Today, treatments are tailored to each patient’s characteristics and tumour type, improving survival rates and quality of life through the DIAMAV programme.
A future with more hope
Although the number of cases continues to rise, advances in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment are bringing us ever closer to better control of the disease, and even to making it a chronic condition. Continuing to raise awareness of risk factors and promoting research will be key to ending this disease in the coming years.
You can read the full SEOM report Las Cifras del Cáncer en España 2025 here.
