The cancers that will be diagnosed the most in Spain in 2026

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The number of cancers diagnosed in Spain during 2026 will reach the 301,884 caseswhich represents a slight 1.95 percent increase compared to the 296,103 expected for last year. It is also the first time that the estimate exceeds 300,000 cases, according to the report. Cancer figures in Spain 2026prepared by the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM) and the Spanish Network of Cancer Registries (REDECAN).

The SEOM (@_SEOM) presented the document this Wednesday within the framework of World Cancer Day, which is commemorated on February 4, with an event that also served to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the scientific society. The president of SEOM, Javier de Castrohas reflected on the evolution of oncology in these 50 years and has wished that, in another 50, the role of the SEOM would be to speak of a “complete cure“.

The report Cancer Figures offers the latest available data on incidence, prevalence and survival in cancer in Spainand the comparison with surrounding countries, based on data from REDECAN, the National Institute of Statistics (INE) and the Global Cancer Observatory of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Cancers that will be diagnosed more frequently

The cancers that will be diagnosed most frequently in Spain this year are those of the colon and rectumwith 44,132 new cases; mother38,318; lung34,908; prostate34,833; and urinary bladder23,929, in line with the 2025 data. Far behind are non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas, with 12,201; pancreatic cancer, 10,405; kidney cancer, 9,165; cutaneous malignant melanoma, 8,074; cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx, 8,203; and cancers of the uterine body, 7,759; stomach, 7,595, and liver, 6,852.

The scientific secretary of SEOM, Isabel Echavarriahas pointed out the “significant increase” in cancer cases in recent decades. As explained, this has multiple causessuch as the significant increase in population numbers, aging and exposure to risk factors, such as tobacco, obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, certain diets or alcohol.

By sex, they will be diagnosed in total 168,764 cases in men and 133,120 in women. As in 2025, among men the majority will be prostate cancers (34,833), colon and rectum (26,477), lung (23,079) and urinary bladder (19,496). And, in women, mom’s (38,318) and those of the colon and rectum (17,655). In this last group, lung cancer (11,829) remains the third most incident tumor since 2019 due to the increase in tobacco consumption since the 1970s.

AND by agehe number of new cancer cases in Spain by 2026not counting non-melanoma skin tumors, will be diagnosed in total 183,298 cases in people over 65 years of age (72,446 women and 110,852 men), 102,154 cases in people between ages between 45 and 64 years (50,415 women and 51,738 men), and 16,432 cases in those under 45 years of age (10,258 women and 6,174 men).

Increase in cases in young adults

The SEOM has warned that Cancer cases are increasing among young adultsthat population between 20 and 49 years. According to estimates, in 2026 they will be diagnosed more than 8,000 cancers in young adults in Spain, about 3,400 in men and about 4,800 in women. He breast cancer will represent the 20.5 percent of the cases and that of thyroid a 13.4 percent.

Among the tumors that are growing the most in this population, those of the colon, breast, pancreas, stomach, testicle or endometrium. Oncologists have pointed out that between the factors associated with this increase There is lifestyle, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, microbiota dysfunctions, excessive use of antibiotics and, it is beginning to emerge, exposure to environmental toxins.

By 2050, SEOM estimates that the total number of cancer cases exceeds 350,000 in Spain. Javier de Castro has highlighted that this should not be seen from the “alarm”but we should emphasize the importance of take preventive measuressuch as avoiding exposure to known toxins and following healthy lifestyle habits, including physical activity and a healthy diet.

At the same time, he has highlighted the role of early diagnoses and its impact on a favorable evolution of the disease, which is why he has insisted on adherence to available cancer screeningwhich are currently for breast, cervical and colon cancer. Along with this, it has opted for incorporate all the innovation that exists.

Lung cancer: main cause of death from tumor in women

The report states, based on INE data, that tumors have been positioned as first cause of death in Spain in 2024with 115,578 deathsahead of deaths due to diseases of the circulatory system, with 113,620 deaths. It is expected that the trend in deaths from cancer is increasingin line with the incidence, and will exceed 180,000 in 2050.

In the case of the menhe lung cancer was responsible for the greatest number of deaths (16,606), followed by prostate cancers (5,967) and colon (5,913). In the womenhe lung cancer (6,691) surpassed for the first time the breast cancer (6,563) as the tumor responsible for greater mortality, followed by those of colon and pancreas.

Lung cancers repeat as the most frequent cause of cancer due to tumor if both sexes are taken into account. The oncologist Javier de Castro has detailed that this is because are detected in very advanced stages. For this reason, it has influenced the need to work on early diagnosis in the at-risk population, as is being done with the Cassandra Projectand put emphasis on reducing tobacco consumption.

Regarding survivalthe report emphasizes that has doubled in the last 40 years and hopes that the numbers will continue to slowly improve thanks to new treatments and early diagnoses. In this sense, the net survival five years after diagnosis among patients diagnosed between 2013 and 2017 was 57.4 percent in men and of 65.2 percent in women.

In men, age-standardized net survival was 94.4 percent in it testicular cancer; 90.2 percent in the of prostate and 88.1 percent in that of thyroidwhile it was 10.3 percent in it pancreatic cancer; 14.4 percent in the of esophagus; 16.3 percent in the of lung and a 20.3 percent in the of liver.

In women, the cancer thyroid had a net survival of 93.9 percenthe cutaneous melanoma of the 91.2 percentand the breast cancer of the 86 percentwhile in the pancreatic cancer was from 12.1 percentin the of esophagus of the 17.5 percentin the of liver of the 18.9 percent and in that of lung of the 23.5 percent.

The five-year survival of men he had cancer from 56.1 to 57.4 percent between the periods 2008-2012 and 2013-2017, which implies a increase of 1.3 percentage points. In the womensurvival between these two periods increased from 62.6 to 65.2 percentwhich represents a greater increase than among men, of 2.6 percentage points.

Change the meaning of cancer

During the event, held at the Cervantes Institute, the SEOM claimed its objective of achieving change the meaning of the word cancer to end its association with death and highlight the evolution of recent decades, from the development of chemotherapy to the consolidation of targeted therapies and immunotherapy.

To this end, it has launched the campaign 50 years changing the meaning of cancer. In this sense, Javier de Castro has highlighted that oncology is “paradigm and spearhead” of how to do 21st century medicine.