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Global and regional cancer burden attributable to modifiable risk factors to inform prevention

Hanna Fink1, Oliver Langselius2, Jérôme Vignat2

  • 1Cancer Surveillance Branch, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), Lyon, France. finkh@iarc.who.int.

Nature Medicine
|February 3, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Globally, 37.8% of new cancer cases in 2022 stemmed from 30 modifiable risks. Reducing exposures like smoking, infections, and alcohol is key to cancer prevention efforts.

Area of Science:

  • Epidemiology
  • Global Health
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • Cancer is a major global health burden, with a significant portion linked to preventable risk factors.
  • Understanding the burden of cancer attributable to modifiable risks is crucial for effective prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To estimate the global and national cancer burden attributable to 30 modifiable risk factors in 2022.
  • To inform cancer prevention efforts by identifying key risk factors and their impact.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized GLOBOCAN data for 36 cancer sites across 185 countries.
  • Applied prevalence data (circa 2012) to account for exposure-cancer latency.
  • Calculated population-attributable fractions (PAFs) for 30 modifiable risk factors, including lifestyle, environmental, and occupational exposures.

Main Results:

  • An estimated 7.1 million new cancer cases (37.8%) in 2022 were attributable to the 30 modifiable risk factors.
  • Smoking (15.1%), infections (10.2%), and alcohol consumption (3.2%) were the leading contributors to the cancer burden.
  • Lung, stomach, and cervical cancers accounted for nearly half of all preventable cancers.

Conclusions:

  • A substantial proportion of global cancer cases are linked to modifiable risk factors, highlighting significant opportunities for prevention.
  • Targeted interventions to reduce exposures such as tobacco smoking, infections, and alcohol consumption are essential for lowering the global cancer burden.
  • Strengthening global cancer prevention requires sustained efforts to mitigate modifiable risk exposures.

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