Work causes at least 16,000 cancers annually in Spain, according to CCOO.
A union report states that this disease is the leading cause of death at work.
BarcelonaIn 2026, an estimated 301,884 cases of cancer will be detected in Spain, 166,764 in men and 133,120 in women, according to data from the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM). Of these, approximately 5% would never have occurred without exposure to carcinogens in the workplace. The CCOO union published the report this Tuesday. Workplace cancer, the leading cause of death at workCoinciding with World Cancer Day, the organization states, according to its own calculations, that this year there will be 15,999 cancer cases and 6,126 deaths from this disease attributable to workplace exposures in Spain. Cancer is the leading cause of work-related deaths in the European Union, accounting for 53% of all work-related deaths each year, compared to 28% for cardiovascular diseases and 6% for respiratory diseases, according to 2017 data from the European Commission. Carcinogenic agents remain a challenge for many companies. In fact, they emphasize that one in four Spanish workers is exposed to workplace carcinogens, while in Europe the figure is one in five, according to estimates from the CAREX database.
Even so, the study criticizes the underdiagnosis of work-related cancers, since, according to provisional data from the Ministry of Social Security, only 119 cases of occupational disease caused by carcinogenic agents were registered in 2025. In their opinion, most cases remain hidden under the category of common illness, and their occupational origin is not recognized. Furthermore, the union states that this underdiagnosis also reflects a gender gap: of the 119 reported cancers, 105 were in men and only 14 in women. "This fact can be explained not only by the fact that exposure to carcinogens occurs mostly in male-dominated sectors, but also by a lack of a gender perspective in addressing occupational cancer, where there is an absolute lack of research and management with a gender focus, which is clearly demonstrated by the absence of specific cancers," CCOO points out.
Beyond asbestos
The majority of recognized cancers are linked to asbestos exposure, specifically 60 cases. As the report states, the most frequent work-related tumors are lung, prostate, breast, and bladder cancer. Beyond asbestos—where victims have waged a fierce legal battle, ultimately securing a compensation fund—the CCOO union warns that in recent years there has been an increase in reported cases of lung cancer due to exposure to respirable crystalline silica. This is a very fine dust generated when common construction materials such as ceramics, marble, and gravel are cut. Fifteen cases were detected in 2025, and it is now the second leading cause of work-related cancer in Spain. Regarding these particles, the union also notes the resurgence of another serious lung disease, silicosis, which in 2025 reached "its highest level in the 21st century." The CCOO analysis also cites a 2021 study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (INSST), which points to a higher risk of death from occupational cancer among lower-skilled manual laborers, compared to other higher-skilled professions such as doctors, lawyers, or engineers. "All occupational cancers are preventable. Therefore, it is unfair and unacceptable that any worker should have to accept a greater risk of cancer at work," the union concludes.
