Almost 40% of new cancer cases around the world in 2022 may be linked to things we can change, according to a new study published in the journal Nature Medicine.
The study looked at 36 types of cancer across 185 countries and found that risk factors like smoking, infections, and alcohol use play a big role in cancer development.
This suggests that many cancer cases could be prevented by making healthier choices and improving public health systems.
Cancer is one of the top causes of illness and death worldwide. The number of cases varies depending on where people live, partly because of differences in what people are exposed to. Some risks—like behaviors, infections, environmental issues, and certain job conditions—can be changed or avoided.
That’s why understanding these modifiable risk factors is so important. If we know what’s causing cancer in different places, countries can create better prevention plans that match their needs.
A team of researchers, led by Hanna Fink, studied data from 2022 and estimated how many cancer cases were linked to 30 different risk factors.
They also used information about how common those risks were about 10 years earlier, since it can take years for cancer to develop. They looked at how each risk factor was connected to cancer and considered that some risks may occur together.
They found that out of 18.7 million new cancer cases in 2022, about 7.1 million—or 37.8%—could be linked to things we can change. This included 2.7 million cases in women (29.7%) and 4.3 million in men (45.4%).
The biggest contributors were tobacco smoking (15.1%), infections (10.2%), and alcohol use (3.2%). Lung, stomach, and cervical cancers made up nearly half of all the preventable cases.
In women, infections were the top risk factor, responsible for 11.5% of cases. This includes infections like human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause cervical cancer, and Helicobacter pylori, which is linked to stomach cancer. In men, the leading risk was smoking, responsible for 23.1% of all cases.
The study also pointed out some interesting regional patterns. For example, women in sub-Saharan Africa had the highest number of cancer cases linked to modifiable risks (38.2%), while women in Northern Africa and Western Asia had the lowest (24.6%). Among men,
East Asia had the highest number of cases connected to changeable risks (57.2%), while Latin America and the Caribbean had the lowest (28.1%).
These results offer hope. They show that many cancer cases can be prevented through simple and affordable actions, such as quitting smoking, getting vaccinated to prevent infections, and limiting alcohol. But each country will need to use strategies that match their people and environment.
The researchers also pointed out that not all countries have strong health data. In many low- and middle-income countries, it’s hard to know exactly how many people have cancer or what risks they are exposed to. Better tracking and more complete data are needed to make future studies more accurate and to help governments create better health policies.
In summary, the study shows that a big part of the global cancer problem is linked to things we can change. This gives people, communities, and leaders a chance to act and lower the number of cancer cases in the future.
If you care about cancer, please read studies that artificial sweeteners are linked to higher cancer risk, and how drinking milk affects risks of heart disease and cancer.
For more health information, please see recent studies about the best time to take vitamins to prevent heart disease, and results showing vitamin D supplements strongly reduces cancer death.
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