Smoking and alcohol consumption emerged as the two main habits associated with the prevalence of preventable cancers.
A new analysis from the World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that more than a third of cancer cases around the world could be prevented.
According to the analysis, almost 19 million new cases of cancer were diagnosed globally in 2022. Around 38% of these cases were associated with 30 preventable or modifiable risk factorsmeaning that millions of cancer cases each year could be prevented. Lung, stomach and cervical cancer accounted for almost half of all preventable cases.
“Addressing these preventable causes represents one of the most powerful opportunities for reduce the global burden of cancer”, said Isabelle Soerjomataram, medical epidemiologist at the WHO and senior author of , published in Nature Medicine.
O smoking has emerged as the leading preventable cause of cancer worldwide. The analysis revealed that smoking was associated with 15% of all new cancer cases in 2022. The incidence was especially high among men, for whom smoking contributed to 23% of all new cancer diagnoses. Air pollution has also been identified as an important contributing factor to lung cancer, with its impact varying depending on the region.
O alcohol consumption was classified as the second most significant modifiable risk factor related to lifestyle, accounting for approximately 3.2% of new cancer cases, or approximately 700,000 diagnoses worldwide. Other contributing factors included high body mass index, physical inactivity, ultraviolet radiation and exposure to occupational hazards.
Infectious agents have been linked to approximately 10% of all new cancer cases. Among women, high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) was the most significant preventable cause, as it can lead to cervical cancer. Although there are effective vaccines against HPV, vaccination coverage remains low in many regions of the world.
Stomach cancer was found to be more common in men and associated with smoking and infections related to overcrowding, poor sanitation and limited access to drinking water.
By analyzing cancer patterns in different countries and population groups, researchers aim to provide governments and individuals with actionable information to reduce cancer risk. “We can help prevent many cases of cancer before they even start”, said André Ilbawi, leader of the WHO Cancer Control team.
