A global analysis released this week by the World Health Organisation says that up to four in every ten new cancer cases worldwide could be prevented through behavioural change, stronger public policies and effective public health action.
The findings were published to coincide with World Cancer Day on February 4, 2026, and are based on a study in Nature Medicine that analysed data from 185 countries and 36 different cancer types.
According to the report, approximately 37 per cent of the 18.7 million new cancer cases recorded in 2022 were linked to modifiable risk factors, including tobacco use, infections and lifestyle-related environmental exposures.
“The science is clear,” said Maria Neira, Director of Environment, Climate Change and Health at the WHO. “A large portion of cancers, particularly those related to tobacco, infections and unhealthy environments, are not inevitable. They are preventable.”
The report identified tobacco as the single largest preventable cause of cancer, accounting for about 15 per cent of new cases globally. Other major contributors include infectious agents such as human papillomavirus and Helicobacter pylori, which together are responsible for roughly 10 per cent of cancer cases worldwide.
“Smoking and infection-associated cancers continue to take an enormous toll,” said Elisabete Weiderpass, Director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer. “Effective prevention is not only possible, it must be prioritised.”
The analysis highlighted cervical cancer as one of the clearest examples of preventable disease, noting that it is overwhelmingly caused by HPV, for which safe and effective vaccines are available.
Similarly, cancers linked to Helicobacter pylori infection, which can be prevented or treated through improved sanitation, early detection and medical screening, were also prominent in the findings.
“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,” Weiderpass said.
The report also found marked differences in preventable cancer burdens across regions and between sexes. In men, around 45 per cent of cancers were attributed to modifiable risk factors, while in women the figure stood at approximately 30 per cent.
Regional variations were also observed, with East Asia, Latin America, North Africa and West Asia each showing distinct patterns of preventable cancer risk linked to lifestyle, environmental exposure and access to preventive care.
“These differences reflect variation in lifestyles, environmental exposures, and access to preventive care,” Neira said. “This is why tailored, locally relevant strategies are essential.”
The WHO urged governments and health systems to scale up proven prevention measures, including tobacco taxation, public smoking bans, vaccination programmes and improvements in air quality.
“We must shift the focus upstream,” Neira said. “Investing in prevention not only saves lives but reduces long-term health costs and strengthens resilient health systems.”
The report concluded that while cancer remains a major global health challenge, nearly four in every ten cases could be avoided through coordinated public health action, strong political commitment and sustained community engagement.
