Recent research highlights that four in ten cancer cases worldwide are preventable, with a new study identifying the leading preventable cause of cancer.
Despite advancements in medical science, cancer remains a primary cause of mortality across the globe, coming in second only to cardiovascular diseases.
Genetics play a role in cancer development for many, yet lifestyle decisions are shown to significantly impact cancer risk.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has conducted a study exploring 30 preventable and prevalent cancer causes, shedding light on the issue.
This analysis considered factors such as alcohol consumption, high body mass index, tobacco use, lack of physical activity, air pollution, exposure to ultraviolet radiation, among others.
The results were released in conjunction with World Cancer Day on February 4, which focuses on raising cancer awareness, and promoting prevention, detection, and treatment strategies.
According to WHO, the study, which is based on data from 185 countries and 36 cancer types, suggests that 37 percent of all new cancer cases in 2022—over seven million—were linked to avoidable causes.
The analysis identified tobacco as the top preventable cause of cancer globally, accounting for 15 percent of all new cases.
Infections that cause cancer were the second leading preventable cause (10 percent), with alcohol consumption in third place (three percent).
Study author Dr. André Ilbawi stated, “This is the first global analysis to show how much cancer risk comes from causes we can prevent.”
The findings revealed differences between genders, with 45 percent of cancer cases in men being preventable compared to 30 percent in women.
For men, smoking was responsible for 23 percent of new cancer cases, while for women, infections were the leading cause of new cases (11 percent), followed by smoking at six percent.
Ilbawi emphasized, “By examining patterns across countries and population groups, we can provide governments and individuals with more specific information to help prevent many cancer cases before they start.”
The lead author described the findings as ‘good news founded on strong science’.
In 2022, it was estimated that 49.2 million Americans, about one in five, use tobacco, which contains over 5,000 chemicals, 70 of which are known carcinogens, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.