A new global analysis released by the World Health Organization (WHO) has concluded that nearly four in every ten new cancer cases worldwide could be prevented through changes in behaviour, stronger public policies, and sustained public health action.
The findings, published this week to mark World Cancer Day on February 4, 2026, are based on a comprehensive study in Nature Medicine that examined data from 185 countries across 36 cancer types.
According to the report, about 37 per cent of the estimated 18.7 million new cancer cases recorded globally in 2022 were linked to modifiable risk factors.
These risk factors include tobacco use, infectious agents, and environmental and lifestyle exposures, areas where evidence-based interventions already exist.
“The science is clear,” said Dr Maria Neira, WHO Director of Environment, Climate Change and Health. “A large portion of cancers, particularly those related to tobacco, infections and unhealthy environments, are not inevitable. They are preventable.”
Tobacco use remains the single largest avoidable cause of cancer globally, accounting for roughly 15 per cent of new cases, the analysis found. Infectious agents such as human papillomavirus (HPV) and Helicobacter pylori together contribute about 10 per cent of cancers worldwide.
“Smoking and infection-associated cancers continue to take an enormous toll,” said Dr Elisabete Weiderpass, Director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a specialised agency of WHO. “Effective prevention is not only possible, it must be prioritised.”
Vaccines, Behaviour Change and Policy Action
One of the clearest examples of preventable cancer highlighted in the report is cervical cancer, which is overwhelmingly caused by HPV, a virus for which safe and effective vaccines are widely available.
Similarly, cancers linked to H. pylori infection, often associated with poor sanitation and limited access to screening, can be reduced through early detection and treatment.
“We are at a moment where public health interventions – such as HPV vaccination, tobacco control measures, and healthier environmental policies – could save millions of lives,” Dr Weiderpass said.
The analysis also revealed notable disparities across regions and between sexes. Among men, about 45 per cent of cancers were attributable to modifiable risk factors, compared with approximately 30 per cent among women.
Regional variations were also significant, with East Asia, Latin America, North Africa and West Asia showing distinct patterns driven by differences in lifestyle, environmental exposure, and access to preventive healthcare.
“These differences reflect variation in lifestyles, environmental exposures, and access to preventive care,” Dr Neira explained. “That is why tailored, locally relevant strategies are essential.”
Prevention as a Global Priority
WHO is calling on governments and health systems to urgently scale up proven interventions, including higher tobacco taxes, public smoking bans, expanded vaccination programmes, improved air quality standards, and stronger environmental regulations.
“We must shift the focus upstream,” Dr Neira said. “Investing in prevention not only saves lives but reduces long-term health costs and strengthens resilient health systems.”
The report underscores that while cancer remains a leading global health challenge, a substantial share of the burden, nearly 40 per cent of cases, could be avoided through coordinated public health action, political commitment, and sustained community engagement.