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Infections Trigger 1 in 8 Cancers Globally, Lancet Study Reveals Preventable Causes
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News18•29-09-2026, 22:19
Infections Trigger 1 in 8 Cancers Globally, Lancet Study Reveals Preventable Causes
- •A new Lancet Oncology study links 2.3 million new cancer cases worldwide in 2024 (12% of all cases) to infections, highlighting a less-discussed risk factor beyond tobacco, alcohol, and genetics.
- •The analysis identified 12 carcinogenic infectious agents, with Helicobacter pylori (760,000 cases), Human papillomavirus (750,000 cases), Hepatitis B virus (360,000 cases), Epstein-Barr virus (260,000 cases), and Hepatitis C virus (160,000 cases) accounting for the majority of infection-attributable cancers.
- •In India, approximately 1.9 lakh cancer cases in 2024 were linked to viral and bacterial infections, representing about 12% of the country's cancer burden, with HPV and H. pylori being major contributors.
- •The study emphasizes significant public health opportunities through prevention, including HPV and hepatitis B vaccination, H. pylori and viral hepatitis testing and treatment, HIV prevention, safe injection practices, and screening for HPV-related precancerous lesions.
- •Researchers also advocate for new prevention tools, such as a potential vaccine against the Epstein-Barr virus, to further reduce the global cancer burden attributable to infections.
Key Questions Answered
A study published in The Lancet Oncology by researchers from the International Agency for Research on Cancer estimates that 2.3 million new cancer cases worldwide in 2024, or about 12% of all new cases, were attributable to infections.
Five infectious agents accounted for a large share of infection-attributable cancers in 2024, with Helicobacter pylori linked to around 760,000 cases and Human papillomavirus following at about 750,000 cases.
Around 1.9 lakh cancer cases in India in 2024 were linked to viral and bacterial infections, representing about 12% of the country’s cancer burden.
