Cancer Receives Only 7% of Healthcare Investment in Europe Despite Causing 23% of Deaths

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Europe and is expected to take the top spot by 2035.

However, according to the Comparative Report on Cancer in Europe 2025, prepared by the Swedish Institute of Health Economics ( IHE ) for the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations ( Efpia ), it only accounts for 7% of healthcare investment on the continent, despite causing 23% of deaths and 17% of years of life lost or lived with disability.

This analysis, developed over the past two decades, shows the evolution of cancer diagnoses, mortality, and access to therapeutic innovation

Between 1995 and 2022, new cancer diagnoses in Europe increased by 60%, rising from 2.1 to 3.2 million cases annually . This trend is primarily linked to an aging population , although between 30% and 50% of cases are related to preventable risk factors.

Although direct investment in cancer has almost doubled between 1995 and 2023, the relative weight in global health expenditure has remained stable.

In contrast, mortality only increased by 9% over the same period. Furthermore, 12 European countries have managed to reduce the number of deaths per 100,000 inhabitants , which represents significant progress in the fight against cancer. In the case of Spain, five-year survival increased from 56% in 2000 to 59% in 2020. According to the report, if the 15 countries analyzed were to reach Sweden’s survival rates, up to 200,000 additional lives could be saved each year.

In contrast, mortality only increased by 9% over the same period. Furthermore, 12 European countries have managed to reduce the number of deaths per 100,000 inhabitants , which represents significant progress in the fight against cancer. In the case of Spain, five-year survival rate increased from 56% in 2000 to 59% in 2020 . According to the report, if the 15 countries analyzed were to reach Sweden’s survival rates, up to 200,000 additional lives could be saved each year.

Innovation in cancer medicines: 194 new drugs since 1995

Since 1995 , the European Medicines Agency ( EMA ) has approved a total of 194 new oncology drugs and authorized new indications for more than 300 previously available treatments. These advances have been accelerated by personalized medicine and molecular diagnostics.

A significant example is multiple myeloma , whose five-year survival rate has increased from 30% in the 1990s to 60% in 2020 , saving nearly 13,000 lives. Oncology clinical trials will represent 29% of all trials initiated worldwide by 2023, reaching 37% in Spain by 2024.

Inequalities in investment and access to treatments

The report highlights inequalities between European countries in access to cancer treatments, as well as in investment in research. Factors such as national pricing and reimbursement processes , insufficient healthcare budgets , and infrastructure gaps contribute to these differences.

According to the WAIT 2024 report , 60% of the oncology drugs approved by the EMA between 2019 and 2022 were available in Spain in January 2024. The average in the EU-27 is 67% , with extremes ranging from 96% in Denmark to less than 20% in Estonia, Slovakia and Romania.

Inequalities in per capita investment are also significant. They range from 100 euros in Hungary to over 600 euros in Switzerland . In Spain , investment is below 200 euros , while the EU-27 average is around 300 euros.

Following its analysis, the IHE emphasizes the need for policies that guarantee equity in cancer treatment . Priorities include boosting investment in R&D, ensuring equitable access to innovative treatments and diagnostics, harnessing the potential of real-life data, and consistently implementing health technology assessments across Europe.

The report notes that new treatments have contributed to a nearly 30% reduction in cancer mortality in Spain over the last decade , according to a study by Professor Frank R. Lichtenberg of Columbia University (United States).

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(Featured image by National Cancer Institute via Unsplash)

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First published in iSanidad. A third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.

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