Oluwatobi Adu 
ABUJA, Nigeria – Nearly four out of every ten cancer cases worldwide are preventable, according to a major new analysis by the World Health Organization (WHO) and its cancer research arm, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
The findings, released on Tuesday ahead of World Cancer Day on 4 February, show that about 37 percent of cancers diagnosed globally in 2022 — around 7.1 million cases — are linked to known and avoidable risk factors. The study draws on data from 185 countries and covers 36 cancer types, offering one of the most comprehensive global assessments of cancer prevention to date.
WHO identifies tobacco use as the leading preventable cause, responsible for 15 percent of all new cancer cases worldwide. Cancer-causing infections — including human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B, and Helicobacter pylori — account for a further 10 percent, while alcohol consumption contributes about three percent.
“A significant share of the global cancer burden comes from risks we already know how to reduce or eliminate,” says Dr André Ilbawi, WHO Team Lead for Cancer Control.
The study highlights sharp gender and regional differences. Preventable cancers account for 45 percent of cases among men, compared with 30 percent among women.
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Oluwafunbi Bello