Preventable cancers are mainly linked to smoking and alcohol, WHO analysis finds

A WHO analysis published in Nature Medicine found about 38% of cancers in 2022 were linked to changeable risk factors, with tobacco and infections such as HPV among the top contributors.

A World Health Organization analysis published in Nature Medicine examined nearly 19 million new cancer cases from 2022 and assessed how many were associated with changeable risks. The report found that more than a third of those cases were linked to factors that can be modified, reduced, or treated. Tobacco and alcohol featured prominently among lifestyle contributors, and infectious agents including high‑risk HPV were also highlighted. WHO authors framed the findings as identifying significant opportunities to reduce the global cancer burden. Key findings: - The WHO analysis estimated roughly 38 percent of new cancer cases in 2022 were associated with about 30 changeable risk factors, based on nearly 19 million diagnoses. - Tobacco smoking was the largest single preventable factor, associated with about 15 percent of all cancer cases and about 23 percent of cases in men. - Alcohol use was linked to about 3.2 percent of new cancers (around 700,000 cases), and infections were associated with roughly 10 percent of cases, with high‑risk HPV a major factor among women. - The study is published in Nature Medicine and WHO authors described addressing these causes as a major opportunity to reduce cancer; specific next steps from officials were not specified. Summary: The WHO analysis indicates a substantial portion of cancers worldwide are tied to changeable exposures, particularly tobacco, alcohol, and infections such as HPV. WHO authors portrayed addressing these causes as an important opportunity to lower the global cancer burden. Undetermined at this time.