Up to four in 10 cancer cases around the world could be prevented, according to a new global analysis by the World Health Organization (WHO) and its International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The study investigated 30 preventable causes, including tobacco, alcohol, high BMI, lack of exercise, air pollution, UV radiation, and for the first time, nine cancer-causing infections.

The analysis, published ahead of World Cancer Day (4 February), estimates that 37% of new cancer cases in 2022, or around 7.1 million, will be linked to preventable causes. The findings highlight the huge potential for prevention to reduce the global cancer burden, WHO said.

The study, based on data from 185 countries on 36 types of cancer, identified tobacco as the main preventable cause of new cancer cases (15%), followed by infectious diseases (10%) and alcohol consumption (3%).

Three types of cancer—lung, stomach, and cervix—account for nearly half of all preventable cancer cases in both men and women.

Lung cancer was mainly associated with smoking and air pollution. The main cause of gastric cancer is Helicobacter pylori infection; and the cause of cervical cancer was overwhelmingly human papillomavirus (HPV).

The findings highlight the need for context-specific prevention strategies, including strong tobacco control measures, alcohol control, vaccination against cancer-causing infections such as HPV and hepatitis B, improved air quality, safer workplaces, and healthier diets and physical activity environments, WHO said.

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Published February 9, 2026