Cancer patient survival rates have doubled in the last 40 years

BarcelonaReceiving a cancer diagnosis is still a devastating blow for patients, but the fact is that the prognosis for this disease has changed radically in recent decades. Although there is still a long way to go before achieving a complete cure, the emergence of new treatments such as immunotherapies Thanks to new diagnostic tools that allow the disease to be detected in its very early stages, survival rates have improved substantially, almost doubling in the last 40 years. This is confirmed by the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM) in its report. Cancer figures in Spain 2026, It is estimated that this year, for the first time, more than 300,000 diagnoses will be made, of which 8,000 will be young adults between 20 and 39 years old. This represents a 2% increase compared to the previous year, which experts attribute to the growing and aging population. Even so, the president of the SEOM (Spanish Society of Medical Oncology), Javier de Castro, believes it is likely that patient survival rates will continue to rise slowly in the coming years with the application of new treatments and new screening tools for the early detection of diseases such as colon cancer. Therefore, he maintains that the public should not be alarmed, but rather encouraged to adopt healthy lifestyle habits, such as eating well and exercising, as both reduce the risk of developing cancer.

Reduce smoking

According to forecasts published this Wednesday by the scientific society in collaboration with the Spanish Network of Cancer Registries (Redecan), colon and rectal cancers will continue to be the most frequent in Spain, with 44,132 cases, followed by breast and lung cancer, with 38,398 and 38,318 cases, respectively. This upward trend is expected worldwide, as it is estimated that 32.6 million new cancers will be detected by 2050, 350,000 of them in Spain. For this reason, de Castro emphasized the need to strengthen prevention efforts. "We must begin taking steps with at-risk populations and reduce smoking. Almost 35 percent of the population continues the habit in different forms, including with electronic cigarettes," she warned.

Tobacco is behind 80% of lung cancer cases, which is the most frequent cause of cancer death in Spain, ahead of colon, pancreatic, breast, and prostate cancers. It remains the deadliest cancer for men; in fact, it has three times the mortality rate of prostate and colon cancer combined, which are the next two deadliest. As for women, lung cancer has surpassed breast cancer for the first time as the tumor responsible for the highest mortality rate, followed, at a greater distance, by colon and pancreatic cancers. The reason lung cancer remains the deadliest is that half of the cases are detected in very advanced stages, when patient survival is more limited. Another problem is that the tests to access these stages are much more invasive than in other cases, and it is a highly stigmatized disease, so less is invested in it.

Young adults

The increase in cases among young adults is also a cause for concern. Among the tumors that are growing most rapidly in this population are those of the colon, breast, pancreas, stomach, testicle, and endometrium, among others, with potential risk factors such as inadequate diets, obesity, and excessive antibiotic use. The president of Redecan, Jaume Galceran, says that 8,000 cancers are expected to be detected in young adults in Spain, approximately 3,400 in men and 4,800 in women. Breast cancer will account for one in five cases. This increase in young adults is occurring primarily in the 20-29 age group. Although the increase in absolute numbers "is very small," it does reveal a worrying trend in tumors such as those of the colon and kidney, Galceran asserts. Even so, the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology rules out lowering the age for screenings and advocates for increasing adherence to existing screenings, since there are some cancers, such as colon cancer, where participation could be increased. However, experts focus on the main avoidable risk factors behind a third of deaths from this cause: tobacco, alcohol, pollution, sedentary lifestyles, and inappropriate diets with insufficient fruit and vegetable intake.