Nature Medicine: Smoking and Alcohol Are the Leading Risk Factors for Cancer

More than 30% of all cancer cases worldwide could be prevented by reducing exposure to modifiable risk factors. This conclusion was reached by experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) after analyzing global cancer incidence data. The study was published in Nature Medicine.

According to WHO estimates, nearly 19 million new cancer cases were diagnosed worldwide in 2022. About 38% of them were linked to factors that individuals and society as a whole can influence — ranging from lifestyle choices to environmental conditions. Lung, stomach, and cervical cancers make the largest contribution to preventable cancer incidence, accounting for nearly half of such cases.

“Addressing preventable causes of cancer is one of the most powerful opportunities to reduce the global cancer burden,” said WHO medical epidemiologist and senior study author Isabelle Soerjomataram.

The researchers classified modifiable risk factors as tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, excess body weight, low physical activity, smokeless tobacco and areca nut use, insufficient breastfeeding, air pollution, ultraviolet radiation, infections, as well as more than a dozen occupational hazards.

Smoking remains the leading preventable risk factor. It was associated with 15% of all new cancer cases worldwide. Among men, the contribution of tobacco was even higher — smoking accounted for nearly 23% of cancer diagnoses.

However, tobacco is not the only danger. Air pollution also significantly increases the risk of lung cancer, with its impact varying by region. For example, in East Asian countries, about 15% of lung cancer cases among women are linked to air pollution, while in North Africa and Western Asia, around 20% of cases among men are associated with this factor.

Alcohol consumption ranks second among behavioral risk factors. It was responsible for approximately 3.2% of new cancer cases, corresponding to about 700,000 diagnoses per year.

About 10% of all cancers were linked to infections. Among women, the human papillomavirus (HPV) made the largest contribution to preventable cancer incidence, as it can cause cervical cancer. Despite the availability of an effective HPV vaccine, vaccination coverage remains insufficient in many countries.

Stomach cancer, which is more common among men, was associated by researchers with smoking and infections prevalent in conditions of overcrowding, poor sanitation, and limited access to clean water.

The authors emphasized that reducing smoking rates, improving air quality, preventing infections, and promoting healthier lifestyles could save millions of lives and become key tools in the global fight against cancer.

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