Spain’s top cancer experts have issued a report predicting the prevalence of the disease in 2026.
The document was prepared by the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM) and the Spanish Network of Cancer Registries (REDECAN).
In it, they forecast how many cases will be detected this year, plus which types of the disease will be most common, and ultimately, how many deaths there will be.
According to their research, Spain is expected to record 301,884 new cancer diagnoses in 2026.
The report shows that the number of new tumours diagnosed nationwide will rise by 2% compared with 2025, when an estimated 296,103 cases were recorded.
Most common cancers
The most frequently diagnosed cancers in Spain in 2026 are expected to be colorectal cancer (44,132 new cases), followed by breast cancer (38,318), lung cancer (34,908), prostate cancer (34,833) and bladder cancer (23,929).
They are followed by non-Hodgkin lymphoma (12,201), pancreatic cancer (10,405), kidney cancer (9,165), malignant skin 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).
Clear differences by sex
There are significant differences depending on sex. Among men, the most common cancers are prostate (34,833), colorectal (26,477), lung (23,079) and bladder (19,496).
Among women, the most frequently diagnosed cancers are breast (38,318), colorectal (17,655) and lung (11,829).
Lung cancer has remained the third most common cancer in women since 2019, due to what the report describes as the ‘increase in tobacco consumption among women from the 1970s onwards’.
Why cancer cases keep rising
Over recent decades, the report explains, ‘the absolute number of cancers diagnosed in Spain has increased due to population growth’ – from around 38.85 million people in 1990 to nearly 50 million in 2026 – as well as population ageing, since age is a key risk factor in cancer development.
There has also been increased exposure to tobacco, alcohol, pollution, obesity and physical inactivity.
Also affecting the numbers in some cancers – including colorectal, breast, cervical and prostate – is increased awareness and therefore increased early detection.
Cancer risk and age
Age remains a fundamental risk factor. According to the report, the probability of developing cancer begins to increase significantly from the ages of 45 to 49.
From birth to age 80, men have a 40.2% risk of developing cancer, compared with 28.5% for women. By the age of 85, these figures rise to 47.9% for men and 33.3% for women.
However, the report acknowledges growing concern about rising cancer incidence among young adults.
‘Among the tumours increasing most in this population are cancers of the colon, breast, pancreas, stomach, testicle and endometrium, among others,’ it states, citing possible risk factors such as poor diets, microbiota dysfunction, obesity and excessive antibiotic use.
REDECAN estimates that in 2026 more than 8,000 cancers will be diagnosed in young adults in Spain, around 3,400 in men and 4,800 in women.
Breast cancer is expected to account for 20.5% of cases, followed by thyroid cancer at 13.4%, explained Jaume Galceran, who served as REDECAN president from 2018 to 2025.
Risk factors and survival
According to the report, tobacco and alcohol consumption, along with obesity, remain the most important preventable risk factors linked to cancer.
REDECAN data show that in Spain the net five-year survival rate for patients diagnosed between 2013 and 2017 was 57.4% in men and 65.2% in women.
‘Cancer survival in Spain is similar to that of neighbouring countries. It is estimated to have doubled over the past 40 years and is likely to continue to increase, albeit slowly, in the coming years,’ said researcher Javier de Castro.
However, the report warns that cancer mortality is still expected to increase due to demographic changes and population ageing. In Spain, cancer deaths are projected to rise from 114,000 in 2022 to more than 180,000 by 2050.
