Cancer can often feel overwhelming, but recent research has highlighted some interesting ways to lower our risk of developing it.
A new analysis by the World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that more than a third of cancer cases worldwide are preventable.
Lung, stomach, and cervical cancers account for nearly half of these preventable cases.
This indicates that millions of lives could be saved annually through medical interventions, shifts in behavior, reducing workplace hazards, or addressing environmental pollutants.
If you’re curious, there’s more information available in the video below:
Isabelle Soerjomataram, a medical epidemiologist at WHO and a key author of the analysis, describes the study as a thorough evaluation of preventable cancer factors globally, incorporating infectious causes alongside behavioral, environmental, and occupational risks.
“Addressing these preventable causes represents one of the most powerful opportunities to reduce the global cancer burden,” Soerjomataram emphasizes.
The report indicates that in 2022, there were around 19 million new cancer cases, with nearly 38 percent linked to 30 avoidable risk factors.
These risk factors included tobacco usage, alcohol intake, obesity, lack of physical activity, smokeless tobacco, areca nut, inadequate breastfeeding, air pollution, UV exposure, infectious agents, and various workplace exposures.
The leading preventable risk? Tobacco smoking, which was linked to 15 percent of all cancer diagnoses that year.
Men faced a higher risk, with smoking contributing to 23 percent of all new cancer cases in that demographic.
However, smoking isn’t the only culprit; air pollution also plays a significant role, and its effects differ by region.
For example, in East Asia, around 15 percent of lung cancer cases in women were attributed to air pollution. Meanwhile, in Northern Africa and Western Asia, about 20 percent of lung cancer cases in men were linked to this issue.
After tobacco, alcohol consumption ranked as the second major lifestyle-related factor, accounting for 3.2 percent of all new cancer cases—that’s roughly 700,000 cases.
The estimates suggest that together, smoking and alcohol use are responsible for nearly half of all preventable cancer cases.
Infections accounted for around 10 percent of new cancer cases. Notably, among women, a significant portion of preventable cancers was linked to high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV), which can lead to cervical cancer.
Fortunately, an HPV vaccine exists that can prevent many associated diseases, though coverage remains low in several areas.
Stomach cancer, more common in men, often relates to smoking and infections that arise from crowded living conditions, poor sanitation, and limited access to clean water.
André Ilbawi, WHO’s Team Lead for Cancer Control, points out that this global analysis sheds light on the extent of cancer risks tied to preventable causes.
He adds, “By studying patterns across different regions and demographics, we can offer more targeted information to help curb cancer cases before they develop.”
Now is definitely the time to take action, as this research shows there’s a lot we can do to reduce the occurrence of various cancers.
In summary, almost four in ten cancer cases worldwide in 2022 could have been avoided by eliminating exposure to these risk factors, according to the researchers.
They stress the importance of effective cancer prevention, which hinges on continuous political commitment and strategies tailored to the unique risk profiles of different populations.
The findings were published in Nature Medicine.
