Reducing the Global Cancer Burden: Key Insights from WHO Study
Feeling powerless against cancer is a common sentiment, but a recent study by the World Health Organization (WHO) has shed light on several actionable ways to decrease the likelihood of cancer occurrence. According to WHO’s analysis, over a third of all cancer cases worldwide are preventable, with lung, stomach, and cervical cancers accounting for nearly half of those cases.
Addressing these preventable causes presents a significant opportunity to reduce the global cancer burden, as highlighted by Isabelle Soerjomataram, medical epidemiologist at WHO and senior author of the analysis. The study revealed that in 2022, close to 19 million new cancer cases were reported, with approximately 38 percent of these cases attributed to 30 modifiable risk factors.
These risk factors include tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, high body mass index, lack of physical activity, use of smokeless tobacco and areca nut, suboptimal breastfeeding, air pollution, UV radiation, infectious agents, and various occupational exposures. Among these factors, smoking tobacco emerged as the top preventable cause of cancer, contributing to 15 percent of all cancer cases in 2022.
Notably, smoking had a higher impact on men, accounting for 23 percent of new cancer cases globally among males. Following smoking, air pollution also played a significant role in cancer development, with varying effects across different regions. For instance, in East Asia, around 15 percent of lung cancer cases in women were linked to air pollution, while in Northern Africa and Western Asia, approximately 20 percent of lung cancer cases in men were attributed to air pollution.
Alcohol consumption was the second most influential lifestyle factor contributing to cancer, responsible for 3.2 percent of all new cases. Infections were also a key factor, accounting for about 10 percent of new cancer cases. Among women, high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infections were a major contributor to preventable cancers, particularly cervical cancer.
Fortunately, the availability of HPV vaccines offers a promising preventive measure against associated diseases, yet vaccination coverage remains inadequate in many regions. Stomach cancer, more prevalent in men, was linked to factors such as smoking and infections due to poor living conditions.
By analyzing trends across countries and population groups, governments and individuals can gain specific insights to proactively prevent many cancer cases. André Ilbawi, WHO Team Lead for Cancer Control and co-author of the analysis, emphasized the importance of leveraging this information to drive effective preventive strategies.
With a deeper understanding of preventable causes and risk factors, it is crucial for individuals and policymakers to take proactive steps in reducing the global cancer burden. The study findings, published in Nature Medicine, underscore the pressing need for collective action to combat preventable cancers and improve global health outcomes.
