Nearly four in ten cancer cases globally could be avoided, according to a new study by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), highlighting the critical role of prevention.
Published ahead of World Cancer Day on February 3, the study analyzed data from 185 countries and 36 cancer types, finding that roughly 7.1 million new cases in 2022, about 37% of the global total, were linked to preventable factors. Preventable cancers were more common among men, with 45% of new cases attributed to modifiable risks, compared with 30% among women.
Among men, smoking was the leading preventable cause (23%), followed by infections (9%) and alcohol (4%). For women, infections topped the list (11%), followed by smoking (6%) and high body mass index (3%).
The study examined 30 risk factors, including tobacco use, alcohol, obesity, physical inactivity, air pollution, ultraviolet radiation, and, for the first time, nine infection-related cancers. Tobacco accounted for 15% of new cases globally, infections 10%, and alcohol 3%.
Lung, stomach, and cervical cancers together represented nearly half of all preventable cases worldwide. Lung cancer was linked to smoking and air pollution, stomach cancer to Helicobacter pylori infection and cervical cancer to HPV.
“By identifying how cancer risk varies across countries and populations, this analysis provides governments and individuals with actionable information to prevent cases before they start”, said André Ilbawi, the WHO’s team lead for cancer control and co-author.
Experts emphasize that prevention is essential, particularly in regions with late diagnosis and limited access to treatment. Measures like tobacco control, vaccination, healthy lifestyle promotion, and environmental protections could significantly reduce the global cancer burden.
