Up to four in 10 cancer cases globally could be prevented, new analysis has revealed, highlighting the need for stronger tobacco control and other measures to reduce risks and save lives.
The study by the World Health Organization and its International Agency for Research on Cancer looks at 30 preventable causes, including tobacco, alcohol, high body mass index, physical inactivity, air pollution and ultraviolet radiation - and for the first time - nine cancer-causing infections.
And for the first time, nine cancer-causing infections - such as human papillomavirus (HPV) which can cause cervical cancer - also are included in the study.
Released ahead of World Cancer Day, the analysis estimates that 37 percent of all new cancer cases in 2022, around 7.1 million cases, were linked to preventable causes. The findings highlight the enormous potential of prevention in reducing the global cancer burden.
Drawing on data from 185 countries and 36 cancer types, the study identifies tobacco as the leading preventable cause of cancer, globally responsible for 15 percent of all new cancer cases, followed by infections (10 percent) and alcohol consumption (3 percent).
Three cancer types - lung, stomach and cervical cancer - accounted for nearly half of all preventable cancer cases in both men and women, globally.
The burden of preventable cancer was substantially higher in men than in women. Among new cancer cases, 45 per cent occur in men compared with 30 per cent in women.
Lung cancer was primarily linked to smoking and air pollution, stomach cancer was largely attributable to Helicobacter pylori infection, and cervical cancer was overwhelmingly caused by human papillomavirus.
"This is the first global analysis to show how much cancer risk comes from causes we can prevent," said Dr Andre Ilbawi, WHO Team Lead for Cancer Control, and author of the study. "By examining patterns across countries and population groups, we can provide governments and individuals with more specific information to help prevent many cancer cases before they start."
Cancer remains a leading cause of morbidity, responsible for nearly 10 million deaths worldwide in 2020, or nearly one in six.
Projections point to a 50 per cent increase in new cases by 2040 if current trends continue, underscoring the urgent need for effective prevention strategies.
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