1) Research addressed at identifying cancer inequalities in Spain can be considered scarce, at least insofar as it is published as papers in scientific journals. The exception is for the area of the use of services to prevent femalespecific cancers (breast and cervical cancers). The methodological quality of the studies conducted in recent years (2000-2007) can be considered as satisfactory. 2) Most associations between socioeconomic variables and incidence of cancer are, with certain exceptions, compatible with higher incidence in more disadvantaged population groups. However, associations between this type of variables and mortality due to cancer do not always lead to the conclusion that an inequality has been identified.
3) Studies investigating the existence of inequalities in the use of women cancer screening (breast and cervical cancer) generally coincide in finding that there are socioeconomic inequalities in the use of screening. The scarcity of studies into inequalities in the use of other types of health services, such as diagnosis, treatment and palliative care, makes it impossible to draw firm conclusions in this respect.
4) Studies into the place of death of cancer patients coincide in finding that patients living in rural areas more frequently die at home whereas those living in urban areas more frequently die in a hospital.