Nearly 40% of cancer cases linked to preventable risks, shows new study

A new global study by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) reveals that nearly 40% of new cancer cases worldwide could be prevented through proven public health measures. Published in Nature Medicine, the study found that about 7.1 million of the 18.7 million cancer cases diagnosed in 2022 were linked to modifiable risk factors such as tobacco use, infections, alcohol consumption, obesity, and air pollution. The findings highlight the critical role of prevention in reducing the global cancer burden.