Nearly four in ten cancer cases worldwide could be avoided through better prevention, according to a new global analysis released by the World Health Organization and its cancer research arm, the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The findings, released ahead of World Cancer Day (February 4), show that 37 percent of all new cancer cases diagnosed in 2022 — about 7.1 million people — were associated with preventable risk factors. These include tobacco use, alcohol consumption, excess body weight, physical inactivity, air pollution, ultraviolet radiation, and for the first time in a global estimate, cancer-causing infections.
Drawing on data from 185 countries and 36 different cancer types, the analysis paints a sobering picture of how everyday exposures shape long-term health. Tobacco emerged as the single biggest contributor, accounting for 15 percent of all new cancer cases globally. Infections followed at 10 percent, while alcohol use was linked to 3 percent of cases, according to a Joint WHO and IARC press release.
Behind these numbers are real people and families. The study found that lung, stomach, and cervical cancers together made up nearly half of all preventable cancer cases worldwide. Lung cancer was mainly tied to smoking and air pollution, stomach cancer was largely linked to Helicobacter pylori infection, and cervical cancer was overwhelmingly caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV).
“This is the first global analysis to show how much cancer risk comes from causes we can prevent,” said Dr Ilbawi, WHO’s team lead for cancer control and one of the study’s authors. He said the findings can help governments and individuals act earlier, before disease takes hold.
The burden of preventable cancer is not evenly shared. Men face a much higher risk than women, with 45 percent of new cancer cases in men linked to preventable causes, compared with 30 percent among women. Smoking alone accounted for nearly a quarter of all new cancer cases in men. Among women, infections were the leading preventable cause, followed by smoking and high body mass index.
Geography also plays a decisive role. Preventable cancers among women ranged from 24 percent in North Africa and West Asia to 38 percent in sub-Saharan Africa. Among men, East Asia recorded the highest share at 57 percent, while Latin America and the Caribbean reported the lowest at 28 percent. Researchers say these differences reflect variations in living conditions, public health policies, and access to prevention and care.
“This landmark study shows just how powerful prevention can be,” said Dr Isabelle Soerjomataram of IARC, who led the cancer surveillance work. She said tackling known risk factors offers one of the strongest ways to reduce cancer globally.
The report calls for stronger tobacco and alcohol control, wider vaccination against infections such as HPV and hepatitis B, cleaner air, safer workplaces, and environments that support healthy diets and physical activity. It also stresses that preventing cancer is not only a health issue but a social one, requiring coordinated action across sectors such as education, transport, energy, and labour.
For millions of families, these steps could mean avoiding the trauma of a cancer diagnosis altogether — a reminder that many cancers are not inevitable, but preventable.
