Up to four in 10 cancer cases worldwide could be prevented, according to a new global analysis from the World Health Organization (WHO) and its International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The study examines 30 preventable causes, including tobacco, alcohol, high body mass index, physical inactivity, air pollution, ultraviolet radiation and, for the first time, nine cancer-causing infections.

Released ahead of World Cancer Day (February 4), the analysis estimates that nearly 7.1 million, or 37 per cent, of the new cancer cases in 2022 were linked to preventable causes. The findings highlight the enormous potential of prevention in reducing the global cancer burden, the WHO said.

Drawing on data from 185 countries, related to 36 cancer types, the study identifies tobacco as the leading preventable cause (15 per cent) of new cancer cases, followed by infections (10 per cent) and alcohol consumption (3 per cent).

Three cancer types — lung, stomach and cervical — accounted for nearly half of all preventable cancer cases in both men and women.

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).

The findings underscore the need for context-specific prevention strategies, including strong tobacco control measures, alcohol regulation, vaccination against cancer-causing infections such as HPV and hepatitis B, improved air quality, safer workplaces, and healthier food and physical activity environments, the WHO said.

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Published on February 9, 2026