Overview
- Spain’s GECP reports the fastest growth in female lung cancer in Europe, with women now near 28% of cases and female mortality up 7% in 2024 as 1 in 20 diagnoses occurs before age 50.
- Andalusian oncologists warn that up to one in five cases arise in never‑smokers, urging prevention that targets air pollution, radon and occupational exposures alongside molecular testing access.
- More than half of patients are diagnosed at stage III or IV and only about 10% at early stages, with five‑year survival around 30% despite gains from targeted therapies and immunotherapy.
- Low‑dose CT screening pilots in Spain (Proyecto Cassandra) now operate in 15 hospitals across six regions and plan further expansion, with evidence suggesting a 20–25% reduction in mortality in high‑risk groups.
- Tobacco remains the leading driver at roughly 85% of cases as experts caution that vaping is not harmless and is growing among youth, reinforcing calls for stronger tobacco control and public health measures.