Study: One-third of cancer cases are preventable

2026-02-05 08:26:00, Shëndeti CNA

Nearly four out of every ten new cancer cases worldwide could be prevented by avoiding known risk factors, such as smoking, alcohol consumption, air pollution and some infections, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced.

About 38% of new cancer cases globally in 2022, or 7.1 million cases, will be due to preventable causes, according to a new study. The study was published in the scientific journal Nature Medicine and was conducted by a large team of researchers, including the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer.

The study analyzed 30 risk factors that increase the chance of developing cancer. Smoking was the leading cause, responsible for 15% of all new cases, followed by cancer-causing infections at 10% and alcohol consumption at about 3%.

Other important factors include obesity, lack of physical activity, exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and contact with hazardous substances in the workplace, such as asbestos.

"This is the first global analysis to clearly show how much of the cancer risk comes from causes that we can prevent," said Andre Ilbawi, lead author of the study and head of the WHO's cancer control team.

According to the data, almost half of preventable cases are related to lung, stomach and cervical cancer. Lung cancer is mainly linked to smoking and air pollution, while stomach cancer is linked to the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. Cervical cancer is mainly caused by the HPV virus, against which there are effective vaccines.

The study also shows that men are more likely to be affected by preventable cancer: 45% of new cases in men, compared to 30% in women. About a quarter of preventable cancer cases in men are linked to smoking, compared to 11% in women.

Researchers are calling on governments to strengthen tobacco and alcohol control policies, increase vaccination against infections such as HPV, improve air quality and safety in workplaces, and promote healthy diets and physical activity.

"If we want to reduce the burden of cancer, we also need to reduce the burden of noncommunicable diseases. Tobacco, alcohol, ultra-processed foods and air quality are major drivers of many types of cancer," said Katie Dain, executive director of the NCD Alliance./ CNA