A new global study published February 3, 2026, in Nature Medicine suggests that as many as 38% of cancer cases worldwide-roughly 7.1 million diagnoses in 2022-are linked too preventable factors, ranging from tobacco and alcohol use to infectious diseases like HPV. Researchers are hopeful the findings, presented last week, will galvanize public health initiatives and inform individual lifestyle choices to curb the projected 50% increase in cancer cases by 2045. The study, analyzing data from 185 countries, marks the first comprehensive look at the role of infectious agents in cancer advancement and highlights disparities in prevention success across different regions.
Nearly four in ten cancer cases worldwide could be preventable, according to a groundbreaking new study analyzing cancer incidence across 185 countries. Researchers presented the findings at a press conference last week, detailing how lifestyle factors, infectious diseases, and environmental exposures contribute significantly to the global cancer burden. The study, published February 3, 2026, in the medical journal Nature Medicine, offers a new perspective on cancer prevention strategies.
“We now have the information needed to prevent cancer before it happens,” said Isabelle Surjomataram, a cancer surveillance specialist at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). This research underscores the importance of proactive public health measures and individual lifestyle choices in reducing cancer risk.
The World Health Organization reports that approximately 7.1 million new cancer cases in 2022 – representing 37.8% of the total 18.7 million new cases – were linked to preventable factors such as tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and various infections. Understanding these links is crucial for developing targeted prevention programs.
While the link between modifiable risk factors and cancer has long been established – including excess weight, obesity, air pollution, and other environmental toxins – this study provides a more detailed understanding of how these factors impact cancer risk across different populations. The ability to “prevent cancer before it happens,” however, is dependent on access to healthcare resources, which varies significantly around the world.
The research team, led by Surjomataram and André Ilbawi, examined 30 key risk factors, including tobacco and alcohol use, air pollution, and occupational exposure to toxins like asbestos. They also considered factors such as:
• High body mass index
• Physical inactivity
• Smokeless tobacco and areca nut use
• Certain breastfeeding practices
• Ultraviolet radiation exposure
Notably, this study is the first to comprehensively include infectious agents – such as hepatitis B and the human papillomavirus (HPV) – among the major risk factors. The proportion of HPV-related cancers that could be prevented remains high in some regions, highlighting the need for improved vaccination rates.
HPV accounts for the largest proportion of preventable cancers in women globally, despite the availability of highly effective HPV vaccines that protect against cervical cancer. “Vaccine hesitancy is a reality,” noted Ilbawi in response to questions. Surjomataram added, “In high-income countries, like Australia, we are nearing the elimination of cervical cancer, with current rates at 5 cases per 100,000 people.”
However, she continued, “When we look at the disease burden in Latin America, as well as sub-Saharan Africa, the problem persists. HPV-related cancers, particularly cervical cancer, remain widespread there.”
Preventable Cancer Types
The inclusion of infectious factors in the study provided new insights into cancer types affecting women, while also revealing differences compared to men. Researchers hope this information will lead to improved cancer prevention measures.
Infections were found to be responsible for the largest number of preventable cancer cases in women, totaling 2.7 million cases (29.7%). In men, behavioral risk factors, such as tobacco smoking, were the primary cause, accounting for 4.3 million cases (45.4%).
Data on lung cancer – one of the most common cancers among both men and women (along with breast, colorectal, and prostate cancers) – shows a similar burden of risk factors between the sexes, but with differing impacts. In both men and women, lung cancer cases were attributed to tobacco and air pollution at comparable rates.
However, the number of lung cancer cases among men was 1,326,453, significantly higher than the 477,869 cases observed in women.
Targeted Intervention is Key to Prevention
With the Global Cancer Observatory projecting a more than 50% increase in cancer cases by 2045, the researchers wrote in their paper that “this increasing burden underscores the urgent need for effective prevention strategies,” emphasizing that “many cases could be prevented through targeted interventions.” The study did not extensively address the 62.2% of cancer cases not attributed to modifiable genetic risk factors.
However, Suzette Delaloge, a breast cancer and prevention specialist at the French research hospital Gustave Roussy, told DW that the study represents “a pivotal contribution to shaping a data-driven, global approach to cancer prevention.”
Delaloge, who was not involved in the study, added that while the research highlighted how “cancers are largely influenced by geographical, social, economic, and cultural factors, individual actions remain essential to mitigate their profound effects.”
The researchers themselves emphasized that future cancer prevention measures will increasingly require addressing the different impacts on women and men, as well as responding to the varying socioeconomic contexts across countries and regions.
أعدته للعربية: ماجدة بوعزة
تحرير: عماد حسن
