Up to four in every ten new cancer cases worldwide could be prevented through changes in behaviour, stronger public policies and effective public health interventions, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.
Gatekeepers News reports that the findings, released to mark World Cancer Day on February 4, 2026, are based on a global analysis published in Nature Medicine, which examined data from 185 countries and 36 cancer types.
According to the report, about 37 per cent of the 18.7 million new cancer cases recorded in 2022 were linked to modifiable risk factors such as tobacco use, infections and lifestyle-related exposures.
“The science is clear,” said Dr Maria Neira, WHO Director of Environment, Climate Change and Health.
“A large portion of cancers — particularly those related to tobacco, infections and unhealthy environments — are not inevitable. They are preventable.”
The report identified tobacco as the single largest preventable cause of cancer, responsible for about 15 per cent of new cases globally. Other major contributors include infectious agents such as human papillomavirus (HPV) and Helicobacter pylori, which together account for roughly 10 per cent of cases.
“Smoking and infection-associated cancers continue to take an enormous toll,” said Dr Elisabete Weiderpass, Director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a WHO agency.
“Effective prevention is not only possible — it must be prioritised.”
Vaccines, Behaviour Change and Policy Action
One of the clearest examples of preventable cancer highlighted in the report is cervical cancer, which is overwhelmingly caused by HPV — a virus for which safe and effective vaccines are available.
Similarly, cancers linked to H. pylori infection, which can be treated or prevented through improved sanitation and medical screening, were also prominent.
“We are at a moment where public health interventions — such as HPV vaccination, tobacco control measures, and healthier environmental policies — could save millions of lives,” Dr Weiderpass said.
The analysis also revealed major disparities between regions and sexes:
- Men: about 45 per cent of cancers were attributable to modifiable risk factors.
- Women: around 30 per cent of cancers were linked to preventable causes.
Regional estimates varied widely, with East Asia, Latin America, North Africa and West Asia showing different patterns of preventable risk exposure.
“These differences reflect variation in lifestyles, environmental exposures, and access to preventive care,” Dr Neira said.
“This is why tailored, locally relevant strategies are essential.”
Prevention as a Global Priority
The WHO is calling on governments and health systems to scale up proven interventions — including tobacco taxation, public smoking bans, vaccination programmes and improved air quality policies.
“We must shift the focus upstream,” Dr Neira said.
“Investing in prevention not only saves lives but reduces long-term health costs and strengthens resilient health systems.”
The report concludes that while cancer remains a major global health challenge, nearly 40 per cent of cases could be avoided through strategic public health action, political commitment and community engagement.
