The study by the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) and its International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) analyzes 30 preventable causes, including tobacco, alcohol, high body mass index, physical inactivity, air pollution and ultraviolet radiation.
Also included for the first time are nine cancer-causing infections, such as the human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause cervical cancer.
Examine patterns for prevention
Cancer remains a leading cause of morbidity, responsible for almost 10 million deaths worldwide in 2020, or almost one in six.
Projections point to a 50 percent increase in new cases by 2040 if current trends continue, underscoring the urgent need for effective prevention strategies.
The study was published ahead of World Cancer Day, celebrated annually on February 4.
The findings are based on data from 185 countries and 36 cancer types. The estimates show that 37 percent of all new cancer cases in 2022, around 7.1 million, were related to preventable causes..
“When examining patterns across countries and population groups, We can provide governments and individuals with more specific information to help prevent many cases of cancer. before they start,” said Dr. André Ilbawi, head of the WHO cancer control team and author of the study.
Tobacco is the main cause
Tobacco is the main preventable cause of cancer, responsible for 15 percent of all new casesfollowed by infections (10 percent) and alcohol consumption (3 percent).
Lung, stomach and cervical cancer accounted for almost half of all preventable cases in both men and women.
Lung cancer was mainly linked to smoking and air pollution, while stomach cancer was largely attributed to Helicobacter pylori infection. Cervical cancer was overwhelmingly caused by HPV.
Differences between men and women.
The burden of preventable cancer was substantially higher in men than in women. Among new cancer cases, 45 percent occur in men compared to 30 percent in women.
In men, smoking accounted for about 23 percent of all new cancer cases, followed by infections (9 percent) and alcohol (4 percent).
Among women, infections accounted for 11 percent of all new cancer cases, followed by smoking at 6 percent and high body mass index at 3 percent.
Regional overview, risk factors.
Preventable cancers also varied widely between world regions.
Among women, they ranged from From 24 percent in North Africa and Western Asia, to 38 percent in sub-Saharan Africa..
Among men, East Asia accounted for the highest burden at 57 percent.while the The lowest incidence was recorded in Latin America and the Caribbean, at 28 percent..
These differences are largely due to different exposure to behavioral, environmental, occupational and infectious risk factors, as well as differences in socioeconomic development, national prevention policies and the capacity of health systems.
Prevention strategies
The report emphasized the need for “context-specific prevention strategies,” such as strict tobacco control measures, alcohol regulation, and vaccination against HPV and other cancer-causing infections, such as hepatitis B.
Better air quality, safer workplaces, healthier foods and the promotion of physical activity are also important.
Besides, “coordinated action “Taking action across all sectors, from health and education to energy, transport and work, can prevent millions of families from experiencing the burden of a cancer diagnosis,” the WHO said.
The UN agency highlighted that addressing preventable risk factors not only reduces the incidence of cancer but also reduces long-term healthcare costs and improves the health and well-being of the population.
Listen to an interview with WHO Kenya on the national action plan to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030:
