According to a new global analysis released by the World Health Organization (WHO) and its International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), up to four in ten cancer cases worldwide could be prevented through effective public health interventions targeting known risk factors. Published ahead of World Cancer Day on 4 February, the study provides the most comprehensive assessment to date of preventable causes of cancer and underscores the vast potential of prevention in reducing the global cancer burden.
Drawing on data from 185 countries and 36 cancer types, the analysis estimates that 37% of all new cancer cases diagnosed in 2022, approximately 7.1 million cases, were attributable to preventable causes. The study examined 30 modifiable risk factors, including tobacco use, alcohol consumption, high body mass index, physical inactivity, air pollution, ultraviolet radiation, and, for the…
