A major global study led by the World Health Organization (WHO) and its International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) shows that a significant share of the world’s cancer burden is linked to causes that can be prevented, avoided, or reduced. The findings highlight prevention as a powerful tool for cutting millions of future cancer cases worldwide.
According to the WHO’s analysis, nearly four in every 10 new cancer diagnoses recorded globally in 2022, about 37 per cent, or roughly 7.1 million cases were linked to modifiable risk factors that can be targeted through public health interventions.
Health authorities say these cancers are driven by factors such as tobacco use, alcohol consumption, unhealthy diets, obesity, physical inactivity, infections, and environmental pollution. These risks are particularly common in low- and middle-income countries, where access to vaccination, screening, and preventive healthcare remains limited.
Tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of cancer worldwide and is responsible for millions of cases each year, especially lung cancer. Despite long-running public health campaigns, smoking rates remain high in many regions. At the same time, the growing use of e-cigarettes is raising new concerns about future cancer risks.
Cancer-causing infections also account for a large proportion of preventable cases, especially in poorer countries. Human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B and C, and Helicobacter pylori are linked to cervical, liver, and stomach cancers. Health experts note that effective vaccines and treatments already exist and say wider vaccination coverage and early treatment could significantly reduce cancer rates over time.
Lifestyle-related risks are also increasing. Alcohol consumption, unhealthy diets, excess body weight, and physical inactivity are becoming more common as countries urbanise and lifestyles change. These factors are strongly associated with cancers of the breast, colon, liver, and pancreas diseases that are rising rapidly in many parts of the world.
Environmental and occupational hazards further compound the problem. Long-term exposure to air pollution, asbestos, ultraviolet radiation, and certain industrial chemicals has been linked to multiple cancers. Experts warn that weak environmental regulations and poor workplace safety standards continue to put millions of people at risk, particularly in developing economies.
The burden of preventable cancers is unevenly distributed. Men account for a higher proportion of cancers linked to avoidable risks, largely due to higher rates of smoking and alcohol use. Women, meanwhile, remain vulnerable to preventable cancers such as cervical cancer, which continues to claim many lives in regions with limited access to screening and HPV vaccination.
Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death globally, and the number of new cases is expected to rise as populations grow and age. However, health experts stress that many future cases can be avoided if countries place greater emphasis on prevention alongside treatment.
“The tools to reduce cancer risk already exist,” global health researchers say. “What is needed now is political commitment to make prevention accessible to everyone.”
