WHO says nearly 40% of cancer cases are preventable
The WHO and IARC reveal that nearly 40% of cancers worldwide could be prevented by addressing causes like tobacco, infections, and alcohol, emphasizing the need for stronger prevention efforts.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and its International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have published a new global analysis revealing that almost 40% of cancer is preventable.
The report investigates 30 preventable causes of cancer and nine infections that can cause cancer. 7.1 million incidences of cancer in 2022 were linked to one of these causes. Additional key findings:
Tobacco, infections, and alcohol use were the top three preventable causes of cancer
Just about half of preventable cancer cases were lung, stomach and cervical cancer
Most cervical cancer was caused by human papillomavirus (HPV)
Men had higher incidences of preventable cancer
Smoking was the top preventable cancer cause in men, while infections were the top cause in women
WHO calls for enhanced prevention efforts to reduce preventable cancer burden worldwide.
