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Next Wednesday, 4 February, World Cancer Day will be observed, a campaign promoted by the UICC with the support of the WHO, aimed at raising global awareness about cancer, with a special focus on prevention. On this occasion, the Catalan Federation of Cancer Organisations (FECEC) urges the Generalitat to allocate the necessary resources to expand the age groups for breast and colorectal cancer screening.
The need to expand the age groups for breast and colorectal cancers
Two of the most common types of cancer in Catalonia, colorectal and breast cancer, can be detected early through the screening programmes available in the public healthcare system. These programmes are aimed at the population aged between 50 and 69 years. Their goal is to detect precancerous lesions or tumours at an early stage, demonstrating that early detection facilitates treatment and increases the chances of cure.
In recent years, however, the appearance of breast and colorectal cancer cases in younger people and in those over 69 has highlighted the need to expand these age groups. In this regard, the European Commission recommends extending colorectal cancer screening up to 74 years and, for breast cancer, expanding it from 45 to 74 years.
The Advisory Screening Committee of the Oncology Master Plan, the Advisory Committee of the Colorectal Cancer Early Detection Programme, and the Breast Cancer Early Detection Programme all issued favourable opinions on the age expansion recommended by the European Commission. Likewise, the Interterritorial Health Council, which includes the Ministry of Health and the health departments of the autonomous communities, approved last November the extension of colorectal cancer screening up to 74 years. However, the Generalitat’s Department of Health initially announced a budget shortfall that led to the freezing of the rollout of these plans and later stated that implementation would need to be gradual and dependent on the availability of specialised professionals to carry out the tests. The department has not specified any possible timeline for the expansion.
In this context, the Catalan Federation Againts Cancer (FECEC) wishes to express its concern about this situation. For this reason, it urges the Government of the Generalitat of Catalonia to allocate, as soon as possible, the financial and professional resources necessary to expand the age groups of the screening programmes, in line with European recommendations and the national agreement. Likewise, it calls for a clear implementation timeline to be established. Furthermore, FECEC calls on all political forces to get involved to ensure the availability of the resources needed to carry out this expansion.
As FECEC’s president, Maria Assumpció Vilà, comments: “It is well established that early detection programmes save lives. Screening tests for the most common cancers—colon cancer in both men and women, and breast cancer, the most frequent in women—can detect tumours at an early stage. These diagnoses save lives and improve patients’ quality of life. That is why, in light of the increase in breast cancer cases among women under 50, and colorectal cancer in young people and those over 69, it is essential to expand the age ranges both below and beyond the currently established limits.”
‘United by Unique’, UICC’s campaign
The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) is launching its World Cancer Day campaign for the second consecutive year under the slogan “United by Unique”, which aims to place people at the centre of care and their stories at the centre of the conversation.
This year, FECEC is collaborating by contributing five testimonials from individuals who shared their experiences with the disease throughout 2025. Víctor Cruz, Isabel Zafra, Cristina Mangas, Santi Grau and Maria Dolors Canals have told us their stories, available on the World Cancer Day website and on FECEC’s social media channels.
Share your story
If you are an oncology patient or have lived with cancer, you can share your story and become part of the campaign by submitting your text, video or artwork on the World Cancer Day website via this link.
Likewise, to get even more involved, you can share the campaign materials and messages on your social media channels using the hashtags #UnitedbyUnique and #WorldCancerDay.
Cancer figures 2025 in Catalonia
Coinciding with 4 February, World Cancer Day, the latest cancer figures for Catalonia have been released. Cancer incidence in 2025 reached 43,633 new diagnoses, 24,482 in men and 19,151 in women. These figures represent a 1.8% increase compared to 2024, when the number of cases stood at 42,851. The 5-year relative survival rate has remained stable, being higher in women (66.2%) than in men (54.2%).
SEOM’s Cancer in figures in Spain 2026
The number of cancers diagnosed in our country during 2026 is expected to reach 301,884 cases, representing a slight increase of 2% compared to 2025, with 296,103 cases, according to the report Las cifras del cáncer en España 2026, prepared by the Sociedad Española de Oncología Médica (SEOM) and the Red Española de Registros de Cáncer (REDECAN). Read more
Activities of FECEC’s member organisations
FECEC’s member organisations are preparing these days to celebrate World Cancer Day. To this end, they are organising a series of activities, which we share with you in this link.