18.7 million cancers study shows many cases linked to preventable risks

About 7.1 million of 18.7 million new cancer cases in 2022 were linked to 30 modifiable risk factors, and tobacco smoking was identified as the largest single contributor.

A global analysis published in Nature Medicine connected cancers diagnosed in 2022 to exposures about a decade earlier. The authors examined 36 cancer types across 185 countries and estimated which cases were associated with 30 modifiable risk factors. The study reported that roughly 37.8 percent of the 18.7 million new cases in 2022 were linked to those risks. Researchers noted prevention measures as central to efforts aimed at slowing projected rises in cases. Key findings: - About 7.1 million of 18.7 million new cancer cases in 2022 (37.8%) were associated with 30 modifiable risk factors. - Tobacco smoking was the largest single contributor (15.1% of global cases), followed by infections (10.2%) and alcohol consumption (3.2%). - Lung, stomach and cervical cancers together accounted for nearly half of the cases tied to modifiable risks. - The share of cancers linked to modifiable risks differed by sex and region: 29.7% for women and 45.4% for men, with substantial geographic variation reported. Summary: The analysis indicates a substantial portion of current global cancer cases are connected to exposures that societies and individuals can change, and researchers highlighted tobacco control, vaccination and infection treatment programs among measures that could reduce future cases. Undetermined at this time.