WHO: 4 in 10 Cancer Cases are Preventable

The World Health Organization (WHO) and its International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have revealed that nearly four out of every ten cancer cases worldwide are preventable.

This was disclosed in a statement released on Tuesday, based on findings from a new global analysis.

The report, issued ahead of World Cancer Day on February 4 with the theme “United by Unique,” estimates that about 37 percent of new cancer cases recorded in 2022 were linked to preventable factors.

This figure represents approximately 7.1 million cases globally.

The organisation said the study examined 30 preventable causes of cancer, including tobacco, alcohol, high body mass index, physical inactivity and air pollution.

It also considered ultraviolet radiation and, for the first time, nine cancer-causing infections.

“The findings highlight the enormous potential of prevention in reducing the global cancer burden,” the statement said.

According to the analysis, drawing on data from 185 countries and 36 cancer types, tobacco remained the leading preventable cause of cancer, responsible for 15 per cent of all new cases.

It said infections accounted for 10 per cent, while alcohol caused three per cent of new cancer cases.

It noted that lung, stomach and cervical cancers made up nearly half of all preventable cancers.

‎”Lung cancer was primarily linked to smoking and air pollution, stomach cancer was largely attributable to Helicobacter pylori infection, and cervical cancer was overwhelmingly caused by human papillomavirus (HPV),” it said.

Dr André Ilbawi, WHO Team Lead for Cancer Control and an author of the study, said the analysis was the first to show the extent of preventable cancer risks.

“By examining patterns across countries and population groups, we can provide governments and individuals with more specific information to help prevent many cancer cases before they start,” Ilbawi said.

She said preventable cancer was significantly higher in men than in women with 45 per cent of new cancer cases in men compared with 30 per cent in women.

“In men, smoking accounted for 23 per cent of new cancer cases, followed by infections at nine per cent and alcohol at four per cent,” she said.

“Among women globally, infections accounted for 11 per cent of new cancer cases, followed by smoking at six per cent and high body mass index at three per cent.”