Four in Ten Cancer Cases Could Be Prevented – WHO

Up to four in ten cancer cases worldwide could be prevented if known risk factors were addressed, according to a new global analysis by the World Health Organization (WHO) and its cancer research arm, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

The study, released ahead of World Cancer Day on February 4, estimates that 37 percent of all new cancer cases recorded in 2022 — about 7.1 million cases — were linked to preventable causes. These include tobacco use, alcohol consumption, excess body weight, physical inactivity, air pollution, ultraviolet radiation and, for the first time in a global analysis, nine cancer-causing infections.

Drawing on data from 185 countries and covering 36 types of cancer, the report identifies tobacco as the single biggest preventable cause, responsible for 15 percent of new cancer cases worldwide. Cancer-causing infections accounted for 10 percent, while alcohol consumption contributed about 3 percent.

The analysis shows that just three cancers — lung, stomach and cervical cancer — made up nearly half of all preventable cancer cases globally. Lung cancer was largely driven by smoking and air pollution, stomach cancer was mainly linked to Helicobacter pylori infection, while cervical cancer was overwhelmingly caused by human papillomavirus (HPV).

WHO officials say the findings demonstrate how much of the global cancer burden is avoidable with existing knowledge and tools. By mapping cancer risks across countries and population groups, the study aims to help governments design more targeted prevention strategies and enable individuals to make informed choices that reduce their risk.

The burden of preventable cancer was found to be significantly higher among men than women. An estimated 45 percent of new cancer cases in men were linked to preventable causes, compared with 30 percent among women. Smoking alone accounted for nearly a quarter of all new cancer cases in men, while infections and alcohol followed.

Among women globally, infections were the leading preventable cause of cancer, followed by smoking and high body mass index.

The report also highlights sharp regional differences. Among women, preventable cancers ranged from 24 percent in North Africa and West Asia to 38 percent in sub-Saharan Africa. For men, East Asia recorded the highest burden at 57 percent, while Latin America and the Caribbean had the lowest at 28 percent.

According to the researchers, these variations reflect differences in exposure to risk factors such as tobacco use, infections, environmental pollution and workplace hazards, as well as disparities in economic development, public health policies and health system capacity.

WHO and IARC say the findings reinforce the urgency of prevention-focused cancer control strategies, including stronger tobacco and alcohol regulation, vaccination against cancer-causing infections such as HPV and hepatitis B, improved air quality, safer working conditions, and policies that promote healthier diets and physical activity.

They stress that coordinated action across sectors — from health and education to transport, energy and labour — could prevent millions of cancer cases, reduce long-term healthcare costs and spare families the physical, emotional and financial toll of a cancer diagnosis.

 

 

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