A new cancer treatment facility is planned for Tenerife, with San Juan de Dios Hospital expecting to begin operating its new oncology building during the first quarter of 2027.
The project will expand the island’s private healthcare capacity and is also expected to take some pressure off the public system, particularly for patients who currently have to move between different centres to access parts of their treatment.
At present, the Hospital Universitario de Canarias and Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria are the island’s main centres providing comprehensive oncology services.
A full range of cancer services
The new San Juan de Dios building is being designed as a much more complete oncology facility than the hospital has offered previously.
It will include 22 consultation rooms, radiotherapy and brachytherapy areas, nuclear medicine facilities and a day hospital for chemotherapy.
Inpatient and palliative care services are already operating and will form part of the wider oncology provision.
The aim is to bring more of the different stages of cancer care together under one roof, from prevention and diagnosis through to surgery and treatment.
Demand for cancer care continues to grow
Cancer remains a major health issue in the Canary Islands.
According to figures cited by the hospital, 4,892 deaths from tumours were recorded in 2025, accounting for around one in four deaths in the region.
Almost 13,000 new cases were reported last year, with projections suggesting that figure could rise to around 20,000 cases a year by 2050.
José Carlos del Castillo, manager of the San Juan de Dios centres in Tenerife, said the increase is partly linked to people living longer, but stressed that the focus needs to be on improving quality of life as well as extending it.
More than treatment
The project is not simply about adding more medical equipment.
The new centre will include a dedicated room for consultations where difficult diagnoses can be discussed with patients in a more private and supportive setting.
During the planning process, the hospital also consulted local cancer support organisations about the design of the facility and the needs of patients and their families.
The centre will feature modern technology, while the hospital says the approach will remain focused on personal care rather than simply the clinical side of treatment.
When will it open?
Construction is expected to be completed around the end of January, although a slight delay is possible.
The hospital currently expects the new oncology building to begin operating during the first quarter of 2027.
The exact number of patients it will treat during its first year has not yet been established, although the hospital expects demand for oncology services to continue increasing.
After 78 years providing healthcare and social care in Tenerife, San Juan de Dios is about to add something that has never previously been part of its services on the island.