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Date Published: 29/01/2026

Spain faces twin health challenges: Rising cancers and a setback on measles

Experts urge prevention, early diagnosis and stronger vaccine confidence

Cancer

Spain is expected to surpass 300,000 new cancer cases for the first time this year, according to the new report Cancer figures in Spain 2026 from the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM). An estimated 301,884 diagnoses are projected for 2026, up 1.95% on 2025, with 168,764 cases in men and 133,120 in women. Around 8,000 of these will be in young adults aged 20 to 39, roughly 2.65% of the total.

The most frequently diagnosed cancers this year are expected to be colon and rectal cancer (44,132 cases), breast cancer (38,318), lung cancer (34,908), prostate cancer (34,833) and bladder cancer (23,929). By sex, prostate, colorectal, lung and bladder cancers will dominate in men, while in women the most common will be breast and colorectal cancer, followed by lung and uterine cancers.

SEOM highlights that the rising numbers are linked to population growth, an ageing society and increased exposure to risk factors such as tobacco, alcohol, pollution, obesity and sedentary lifestyles, as well as better early detection in some tumours. At the same time, survival is improving. The overall five-year survival rate between 2013 and 2017 reached 57.4% for men and 65.2% for women, up from 56.1% and 62.6% respectively in 2008 to 2012. SEOM notes that survival in Spain is similar to neighbouring countries and is thought to have doubled over the last 40 years, thanks to “preventive activities, early diagnosis campaigns, therapeutic advances, and, in men, the decrease in smoking prevalence.”

Experts are particularly worried about cancers in younger adults. Around 3,400 of the early-onset cases will be in men and about 4,800 in women, with breast cancer accounting for 20.5% of tumours in this age group and thyroid cancer 13.4%. Dr Jaume Galceran, president of the Spanish Network of Cancer Registries, warned that there is “growing concern about the increase in cancer incidence among young adults”, pointing to tumours such as colon, breast, pancreas, stomach, testicle and endometrium. He cites “inadequate diets, microbiota dysfunction, obesity, and excessive antibiotic use” as possible contributors. SEOM stresses that physical activity is “a fundamental pillar” of a healthy lifestyle and of cancer prevention, and its president, Dr Javier de Castro, reminds us that “one in three cancer deaths are preventable” by tackling tobacco, alcohol, certain infections, obesity, poor diets and inactivity.

Measles

At the same time, Spain has lost its status as a country that had eliminated measles transmission. The World Health Organization has withdrawn that recognition after confirming the re-establishment of endemic transmission, with 227 cases recorded in 2014 and 397 confirmed in 2025. Paediatrician and vaccinology expert Fernando Moraga-Llop says bluntly: “Vaccination coverage is very good, especially if we compare ourselves with other European countries. But it no longer has the excellence it had a few years ago.”

Two main reasons are cited by specialists. Dr María Velasco, infectious disease specialist and spokesperson for the Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, explains that “there are two causes that have led to an increase in cases in Spain: the anti-vaccine sentiment and the disruption that the pandemic caused to surveillance and vaccination systems.” First-dose coverage with the MMR vaccine remains high at 97.3%, but the second dose reaches only 93.8%, below the 95% threshold usually needed for strong herd immunity. Coverage is even lower in some regions, creating “pockets of susceptible populations where the virus can easily take hold,” Velasco warns.

Both experts describe a rise in “vaccine hesitancy”, with more parents expressing doubts or delaying the second dose. Moraga-Llop stresses that there are “20 years of scientific evidence” showing no link between the MMR jab and problems such as autism, and calls for catch-up campaigns, particularly for under 5s who have missed out. Velasco sees the WHO decision as “a wake-up call for Spain to increase and strengthen its vaccination system,” highlighting the importance of contact tracing and focusing on higher risk, highly mobile groups and travellers to and from areas with large outbreaks.

Despite the setback, Spain still maintains high overall coverage and health authorities consider the general population risk low, but both cancer and measles experts share the same bottom line: prevention, early detection and trust in proven public health measures will be crucial in the years ahead.

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