As part of the analysis, 30 factors that can cause cancer and are preventable were examined. These include smoking, alcohol consumption, excess weight, lack of physical activity, air pollution, ultraviolet radiation, as well as nine infections that contribute to the development of cancer, which were included in this report for the first time.
According to the data presented in the study, 37% of new cancer cases, corresponding to approximately 7.1 million cases registered in 2022, were associated with preventable factors.
The study, which covered 185 countries, identifies smoking as the leading preventable cause of cancer, responsible for 15% of all new cancer cases worldwide. In second place are infections (10%), followed by alcohol (3%).
It is noted that nearly half of all preventable cancer cases in men and women are related to three types of diseases: lung cancer, stomach cancer, and cervical cancer.
Smoking and air pollution primarily contributed to the development of lung cancer, stomach cancer was largely caused by Helicobacter pylori infection, and most cases of cervical cancer were due to the human papillomavirus (HPV).
According to the study, the cancer incidence rate among men is significantly higher than among women: 45% of new cases are among men, while the figure for women is 30%. Smoking accounted for approximately 23% of cancer cases in men, followed by infections (9%) and alcohol (4%). In women, infections make up 11% of all new cases, smoking accounts for 6%, and a high body mass index accounts for 3%.
“This important study provides a comprehensive analysis of preventable cancers on a global scale, for the first time including infectious factors alongside behavioral, environmental, and occupational risks. Eliminating these preventable causes is one of the most effective opportunities to reduce the global cancer burden,” commented Isabelle Soerdjomatara, Deputy Head of the Cancer Epidemiology Surveillance Division at IARC and the senior author of the study.
WHO emphasizes that the data obtained highlight the need for the development of specific prevention strategies, including stringent measures to combat smoking, regulation of alcohol consumption, vaccination against carcinogenic infections such as HPV and hepatitis B, improving air quality, creating safe working conditions, and fostering a healthy environment for nutrition and physical activity.
