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Diari de Catalunya

Lung cancer surpasses breast cancer as leading cause of death among women in Spain

Tumors consolidate their position as the primary cause of mortality in Spain, surpassing circulatory diseases for the first time, according to the INE.

Generic visual representation of health statistics data or medical research in a laboratory setting.
IA

Generic visual representation of health statistics data or medical research in a laboratory setting.

Mortality data from the INE for 2024 confirms that tumors are the leading cause of death in Spain, with lung cancer surpassing breast cancer among women for the first time.

Tumors have positioned themselves as the leading cause of death in Spain during 2024, registering 115,578 fatalities and surpassing diseases of the circulatory system (113,620). This trend confirms the progressive rise of cancer since 1980, having doubled the values, while deaths from circulatory diseases have gradually decreased.
Although tumors remain the main cause of mortality in men (67,790 deaths in 2024), cardiovascular diseases lead among women (59,363). However, among tumor deaths in women, lung cancer (6,691) has surpassed breast cancer (6,563) for the first time as the cause of highest mortality.
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"The current objective is not only to live longer, but better, with less toxicity, greater attention to long-term effects, and more support for survivors. Prevention, early diagnosis, and research remain key to reducing cancer mortality."

Javier de Castro · President of SEOM
According to the report Cancer Figures in Spain 2026, prepared by the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM) and the Spanish Network of Cancer Registries (REDECAN), cancer mortality in Spain is expected to increase significantly, rising from 115,000 deaths in 2022 to over 180,000 by 2050.

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