It was noted that millions of these future cases could be prevented through effective interventions targeting key risk factors such as reducing tobacco and alcohol use, expanding vaccination programmes, improving air quality, and ensuring workplace safety.
This call comes in response to research from the World Health Organization (WHO), which reveals that four in 10 cancer cases worldwide are preventable.
The study from the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) analysed data across 185 countries, identifying 30 modifiable risk factors behind cancer development.
The analysis shows a massive, missed opportunity: in 2022 alone, roughly 7.1 million of the 18.7 million new global cancer diagnoses could have been prevented through lifestyle changes, robust public health policies, and environmental improvements.
“Millions continue to develop cancers that need never have occurred,” the report states, highlighting a critical pathway for health systems to reduce suffering and save lives through targeted prevention.
Tobacco remains the leading cause, responsible for 15 per cent of all new cancers globally, signalling a need for even stronger control measures.
It is followed by infectious agents at 10 per cent, and alcohol consumption at three per cent.
The research marked a significant advancement by incorporating infectious causes alongside behavioural and environmental factors for the first time in a global cancer analysis.
This holistic approach revealed that viruses and bacteria play a substantial role in cancer development, particularly in regions with limited access to vaccines and treatments to prevent the infections.
Three cancer types accounted for the majority of preventable cases.
Lung cancer, primarily driven by smoking and air pollution, topped the list.
Stomach cancer, largely caused by Helicobacter pylori bacterial infection, ranked second.
Cervical cancer, overwhelmingly linked to human papillomavirus infection, came third.
Each of these cancers has well-established prevention pathways that remain underutilised in many parts of the world.
Men bear a significantly higher load, with 45 per cent of their new cases deemed preventable compared to 30 per cent for women.
Smoking alone drives roughly 23 per cent of all new cancer cases in men.
For women, infections are the leading preventable cause (11 per cent of cases),
dominated by HPV-related cervical cancer, a disease that vaccination could virtually eliminate.
Regional variations highlighted how different populations face distinct cancer risks based on their environments, behaviours, and access to preventive services, underscoring the need for tailored prevention strategies rather than one-size-fits-all approaches.
Kenya recorded 44,726 new cancer cases in 2022, with breast, cervical, prostate, oesophageal, and colorectal cancers being the most common.
Notably, nine women die every day from cervical cancer, a disease that could be virtually eliminated through HPV vaccination and screening programmes. Women face disproportionate cancer risk in Kenya, and reproductive cancers account for nearly a quarter of all cancer deaths in the country.
Beyond the major risk factors, the study identified additional modifiable causes, including excess body weight, physical inactivity, ultraviolet radiation exposure, air pollution, and occupational hazards such as asbestos exposure. Each represents an actionable target for intervention.
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