Cancer remains Spain's biggest killer for the second year running, new figures reveal

INE statistics show tumours accounted for more than one in four deaths across the country in 2025

For the second year in a row, cancer has topped Spain's list of causes of death. New provisional figures from the INE, Spain's National Institute of Statistics, show that tumours were responsible for 26.3% of all deaths in 2025, that's 116,161 people out of a total of 441,270 who died during the year.

Lung and bronchial cancer accounted for the highest number of cancer deaths at 23,479, followed by colon cancer with 10,610 and pancreatic cancer with 8,526. But the sharpest rise was in breast cancer deaths, up 2.7% on the previous year to 6,839. Spain has already been moving to address this, with plans announced earlier this year to extend breast cancer screening to women aged 45 to 74, a shift that health campaigners have long called for.

Diseases of the circulatory system came in second overall, accounting for 25.7% of deaths, with a death rate of 230 per 100,000 inhabitants against cancer's 235.4. The biggest jump in any category, though, came from respiratory diseases, up 9% compared to 2024 and responsible for 12.4% of all deaths. It's a notable increase that will likely prompt fresh questions about air quality and post-pandemic respiratory health.

There are also clear differences between men and women. Men were more likely to die from ischemic heart disease, while dementia was the leading cause of death among women.

Looking at external causes, accidental falls were the top non-natural cause of death for the third year running, claiming 4,814 lives, an increase of 8.2%. Suicide accounted for 3,808 deaths, making it the most common external cause among men. Traffic accident deaths, by contrast, fell by 4.3%, which is at least one piece of encouraging news in an otherwise sobering set of statistics.

Regionally, Asturias recorded the highest cancer death rate at 381.3 per 100,000 inhabitants, well above the national picture. The rising cancer burden has been a particular concern in Murcia, where diagnoses have been climbing steadily, making the regional breakdown all the more relevant for readers in that part of Spain.

The figures are provisional, but the trend they describe has now been consistent for two years running.

You might also be interested in: World Breast Cancer Day October 19: Early signs to watch for and self-exam tips
 

Image: kaboompics/Pexels