Nearly 40 Percent of Global Cancer Cases Linked to Preventable Risk Factors: WHO-IARC Analysis - Video

Ahead of World Cancer Day 2026 on February 4, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a specialised agency of the World Health Organization (WHO), has released a major global analysis estimating the burden of preventable cancers worldwide. The findings were published in Nature Medicine.

The analysis examined around 30 modifiable risk factors across multiple cancer types and found that approximately 37% of all new cancer cases in 2022—the most recent year with complete data—were linked to preventable causes. This translates to about 7.1 million cancer cases globally that could potentially have been avoided through lifestyle changes, vaccination, and improved health measures.

Researchers analysed data from 185 countries, covering 36 cancer types, including breast, lung, colorectal, cervical, stomach, liver, skin cancers, and leukaemia. The study revealed significant regional differences. Among women, the highest proportion of preventable cancers was observed in sub-Saharan Africa, where 38.2% of new cases were attributed to modifiable risk factors. In men, the highest burden was seen in East Asia, where preventable factors accounted for 57.2% of cancer cases.

For the first time, the analysis included the impact of nine cancer-causing infections, such as high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B and C viruses, Helicobacter pylori, Epstein–Barr virus, and certain parasitic infections linked to bladder and bile duct cancers. The researchers noted that limited access to vaccination, screening, clean water, and timely treatment in low- and middle-income countries continues to drive infection-related cancers.

Globally, tobacco use, infections, and alcohol consumption emerged as the leading preventable risk factors, with smoking alone linked to over 3.3 million cancer cases. The study underscores the urgent need to strengthen cancer prevention strategies, particularly vaccination programmes, infection control, and tobacco and alcohol reduction policies worldwide.

REFERENCE: Fink, H., Langselius, O., Vignat, J. et al. Global and regional cancer burden attributable to modifiable risk factors to inform prevention. Nat Med (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-026-04219-7