An estimated 2.3 million new cancer cases worldwide in 2024 were attributable to infections, accounting for 12% of all new cancer cases, according to a global analysis published in The Lancet Oncology. The findings highlight the importance of infection prevention, vaccination, and timely diagnosis and treatment in reducing the global cancer burden. The study used cancer incidence estimates from the Global Cancer Observatory's GLOBOCAN 2024 database to assess cancers attributable to 12 infectious agents classified as Group 1 carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Five Major Infectious Agents Account for Most Cases Helicobacter pylori was responsible for the largest number of infection-attributable cancers, with an estimated 760,000 cases, followed closely by human papillomavirus (HPV), with 750,000 cases. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) accounted for approximately…