Background: Chronic diseases are the leading cause of mortality in Chile and, among these, tumors are the second most frequent cause of death. The langest number of deaths occur in the Metropolitan Region. Aim: To describe the rates of mortality caused by solid tumors in the Metropolitan Region. Material and methods: Analysis of deaths that occurred in 1999 in the Metropolitan Region. Data from death certificates, gathered by the Ministry of Health, were used. Crude mortality rates and Potential Years of Life Lost (PYLL) caused by solid tumors were calculated. Results: Among men, gastric cancer accounts for the higher rate of mortality, followed by lung cancer. Among women, gallbladder cancer is the most frequent cause of death, followed by breast cancer. Gastric cancer also accounts for the higher amount of PYLL among men, but among women, breast cancer outweighs gallbladder cancer in this parameter. Conclusions: Gastric cancer continues to be an important cause of mortality in Chile and there is a worrysome increase in the mortality caused by gallbladder cancer (Rev Méd Chile 2003; 131: 641-9)