Global and regional cancer burden attributable to modifiable risk factors to inform prevention

  • Bray, F. et al. Global cancer statistics 2022: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. CA Cancer J. Clin. 74, 229–263 (2024).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Tran, K. B. et al. The global burden of cancer attributable to risk factors, 2010−19: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Lancet 400, 563–591 (2022).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Stein, C. J. & Colditz, G. A. Modifiable risk factors for cancer. Br. J. Cancer 90, 299–303 (2004).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Goddard, K. A. B. et al. Estimation of cancer deaths averted from prevention, screening, and treatment efforts, 1975−2020. JAMA Oncol. 11, 162–167 (2025).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • GBD 2023 Cancer Collaborators. The global, regional, and national burden of cancer, 1990−2023, with forecasts to 2050: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023. Lancet 406, 1565−1586 (2025).

  • Read more
  • de Martel, C., Georges, D., Bray, F., Ferlay, J. & Clifford, G. M. Global burden of cancer attributable to infections in 2018: a worldwide incidence analysis. Lancet Glob. Health 8, e180–e190 (2020).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Plummer, M. et al. Global burden of cancers attributable to infections in 2012: a synthetic analysis. Lancet Glob. Health 4, e609–e616 (2016).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Whiteman, D. C. & Wilson, L. F. The fractions of cancer attributable to modifiable factors: a global review. Cancer Epidemiol. 44, 203–221 (2016).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Azevedo, E. S. G. et al. The fraction of cancer attributable to ways of life, infections, occupation, and environmental agents in Brazil in 2020. PLoS ONE 11, e0148761 (2016).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Brown, K. F. et al. The fraction of cancer attributable to modifiable risk factors in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the United Kingdom in 2015. Br. J. Cancer 118, 1130–1141 (2018).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Islami, F. et al. Cancer deaths and cases attributable to lifestyle factors and infections in China, 2013. Ann. Oncol. 28, 2567–2574 (2017).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Islami, F. et al. Proportion and number of cancer cases and deaths attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors in the United States, 2019. CA Cancer J. Clin. 74, 405–432 (2024).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Kulhánová, I. et al. Proportion of cancers attributable to major lifestyle and environmental risk factors in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Int. J. Cancer 146, 646–656 (2020).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Nemati, S. et al. Population attributable proportion and number of cancer cases attributed to potentially modifiable risk factors in Iran in 2020. Int. J. Cancer 153, 1758–1765 (2023).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Soerjomataram, I. et al. Cancers related to lifestyle and environmental factors in France in 2015. Eur. J. Cancer 105, 103–113 (2018).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Teh, H. S. & Woon, Y. L. Burden of cancers attributable to modifiable risk factors in Malaysia. BMC Public Health 21, 410 (2021).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Arnold, M. et al. Progress in cancer survival, mortality, and incidence in seven high-income countries 1995−2014 (ICBP SURVMARK-2): a population-based study. Lancet Oncol. 20, 1493–1505 (2019).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Shelton, J. et al. 25 year trends in cancer incidence and mortality among adults aged 35−69 years in the UK, 1993−2018: retrospective secondary analysis. BMJ 384, e076962 (2024).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283 (World Health Organization, 2024).

  • Read more
  • Manthey, J. et al. Global alcohol exposure between 1990 and 2017 and forecasts until 2030: a modelling study. Lancet 393, 2493–2502 (2019).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Arndt, M. B. et al. Global, regional, and national progress towards the 2030 global nutrition targets and forecasts to 2050: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. Lancet 404, 2543–2583 (2024).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, 2023: Protect People From Tobacco Smoke (World Health Organization, 2023); https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240077164

  • Read more
  • Bauman, A. et al. Impact of the first year of the ‘This girl can’ physical activity and sport mass media campaign in Australia. BMC Public Health 23, 333 (2023).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Ginsburg, O. & Horton, R. A Lancet Commission on women and cancer. Lancet 396, 11–13 (2020).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Gender-responsive Tobacco Control: Evidence and Options for Policies and Programmes (World Health Organization, 2018); https://fctc.who.int/resources/publications/m/item/gender-responsive-tobacco-control-evidence-and-options-for-policies-and-programmes

  • Read more
  • Forman, D. et al. Global burden of human papillomavirus and related diseases. Vaccine 30, F12–F23 (2012).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Lei, J. et al. HPV vaccination and the risk of invasive cervical cancer. N. Engl. J. Med. 383, 1340–1348 (2020).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Chen, Y. C. et al. Global prevalence of Helicobacter pylori Infection and incidence of gastric cancer between 1980 and 2022. Gastroenterology 166, 605–619 (2024).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Malaty, H. M. et al. Age at acquisition of Helicobacter pylori infection: a follow-up study from infancy to adulthood. Lancet 359, 931–935 (2002).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Bellack, N. R., Koehoorn, M. W., MacNab, Y. C. & Morshed, M. G. A conceptual model of water’s role as a reservoir in Helicobacter pylori transmission: a review of the evidence. Epidemiol. Infect. 134, 439–449 (2006).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Malfertheiner, P. et al. Helicobacter pylori infection. Nat. Rev. Dis. Primers 9, 19 (2023).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Chiang, T. H. et al. Mass eradication of Helicobacter pylori to reduce gastric cancer incidence and mortality: a long-term cohort study on Matsu Islands. Gut 70, 243–250 (2021).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Dorji, T. et al. Population-level cancer screening and cancer care in Bhutan, 2020−2023: a review. Lancet Reg. Health Southeast Asia 24, 100370 (2024).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Tsuda, M. et al. Effect on Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy against gastric cancer in Japan. Helicobacter 22, e12415 (2017).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Maucort-Boulch, D., de Martel, C., Franceschi, S. & Plummer, M. Fraction and incidence of liver cancer attributable to hepatitis B and C viruses worldwide. Int. J. Cancer 142, 2471–2477 (2018).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Schweitzer, A., Horn, J., Mikolajczyk, R. T., Krause, G. & Ott, J. J. Estimations of worldwide prevalence of chronic hepatitis B virus infection: a systematic review of data published between 1965 and 2013. Lancet 386, 1546–1555 (2015).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Kandeel, A. et al. Evidence for the elimination of viral hepatitis B and C in Egypt: results of a nationwide survey in 2022. Liver Int. 44, 955–965 (2024).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Salama, I. I. et al. Effectiveness of hepatitis B virus vaccination program in Egypt: multicenter national project. World J. Hepatol. 7, 2418–2426 (2015).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Thursz, M., Njie, R. & Lemoine, M. Global eradication of hepatitis B—feasible or fallacy? Nat. Rev. Gastroenterol. Hepatol. 9, 492–494 (2012).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Clougherty, J. E. A growing role for gender analysis in air pollution epidemiology. Environ. Health Perspect. 118, 167–176 (2010).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Okello, G., Devereux, G. & Semple, S. Women and girls in resource poor countries experience much greater exposure to household air pollutants than men: results from Uganda and Ethiopia. Environ. Int. 119, 429–437 (2018).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Shupler, M. et al. Global estimation of exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from household air pollution. Environ. Int. 120, 354–363 (2018).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Raimondi, S., Suppa, M. & Gandini, S. Melanoma epidemiology and sun exposure. Acta Derm. Venereol. 100, adv00136 (2020).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Iannacone, M. R. & Green, A. C. Towards skin cancer prevention and early detection: evolution of skin cancer awareness campaigns in Australia. Melanoma Manag. 1, 75–84 (2014).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Cumberbatch, M. G., Cox, A., Teare, D. & Catto, J. W. Contemporary occupational carcinogen exposure and bladder cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Oncol. 1, 1282–1290 (2015).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Cislaghi, B. et al. Gender norms and gender equality in full-time employment and health: a 97-country analysis of the world values survey. Front. Psychol. 13, 689815 (2022).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Santana, V. S. & Ribeiro, F. S. Occupational cancer burden in developing countries and the problem of informal workers. Environ. Health 10 Suppl 1, S10 (2011).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Bray, F., Soerjomataram, I., Mery, L. & Ferlay, J. Improving the quality and coverage of cancer registries globally. Lancet 386, 1035–1036 (2015).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Bray, F. et al. Cancer Incidence in Five Continents: inclusion criteria, highlights from Volume X and the global status of cancer registration. Int. J. Cancer 137, 2060–2071 (2015).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Moore, S. C. et al. Endogenous estrogens, estrogen metabolites, and breast cancer risk in postmenopausal Chinese women. J. Natl Cancer Inst. 108, djw103 (2016).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Freedman, N. D. et al. Impact of changing US cigarette smoking patterns on incident cancer: risks of 20 smoking-related cancers among the women and men of the NIH-AARP cohort. Int. J. Epidemiol. 45, 846–856 (2015).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Lee, C. H. et al. Independent and combined effects of alcohol intake, tobacco smoking and betel quid chewing on the risk of esophageal cancer in Taiwan. Int. J. Cancer 113, 475–482 (2005).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Ferlay, J. et al. Global Cancer Observatory: Cancer Today (version 1.1). International Agency for Research on Cancer https://gco.iarc.fr/today/en (2024).

  • Read more
  • International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th revision, Fifth edition, 2016 (World Health Organization, 2015); https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/246208

  • Read more
  • Fritz, A. et al. International Classification of Diseases for Oncology 3rd edn (World Health Organization, 2000); https://www.who.int/standards/classifications/other-classifications/international-classification-of-diseases-for-oncology

  • Read more
  • Bray, F. et al. Cancer Incidence in Five Continents, Vol. XII (IARC CancerBase No. 19). International Agency for Research on Cancer https://ci5.iarc.fr/ci5-xii/ (2023).

  • Read more
  • Crump, K. S. Risk of benzene-induced leukemia: a sensitivity analysis of the pliofilm cohort with additional follow-up and new exposure estimates. J. Toxicol. Environ. Health 42, 219–242 (1994).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Elliott, A. M., Aucott, L. S., Hannaford, P. C. & Smith, W. C. Weight change in adult life and health outcomes. Obes. Res. 13, 1784–1792 (2005).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Grundy, A. et al. Cancer incidence attributable to alcohol consumption in Alberta in 2012. CMAJ Open 4, E507–E514 (2016).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Lanphear, B. P. & Buncher, C. R. Latent period for malignant mesothelioma of occupational origin. J. Occup. Med. 34, 718–721 (1992).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • O’Reilly, K. M., McLaughlin, A. M., Beckett, W. S. & Sime, P. J. Asbestos-related lung disease. Am. Fam. Physician 75, 683–688 (2007).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Parker, E. D. & Folsom, A. R. Intentional weight loss and incidence of obesity-related cancers: the Iowa Women’s Health Study. Int. J. Obes. Relat. Metab. Disord. 27, 1447–1452 (2003).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Steenland, K., Stayner, L. & Deddens, J. Mortality analyses in a cohort of 18 235 ethylene oxide exposed workers: follow up extended from 1987 to 1998. Occup. Environ. Med. 61, 2–7 (2004).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Weiss, W. Cigarette smoking and lung cancer trends. A light at the end of the tunnel? Chest 111, 1414–1416 (1997).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • GBD 2019 Tobacco Collaborators. Spatial, temporal, and demographic patterns in prevalence of smoking tobacco use and attributable disease burden in 204 countries and territories, 1990−2019: a systematic analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Lancet 397, 2337−2360 (2021).

  • Read more
  • World Health Organization. Global Information System on Alcohol and Health. https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/global-information-system-on-alcohol-and-health

  • Read more
  • NCD Risk Factor Collaboration. National Adult Body-Mass Index – Data Downloads. https://www.ncdrisc.org/data-downloads-adiposity.html (2024).

  • Read more
  • World Health Organization. Insufficient physical activity – indicator group. https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/topics/indicator-groups/insufficient-physical-activity-indicator-group (2024).

  • Read more
  • Rumgay, H. et al. Global burden of oral cancer in 2022 attributable to smokeless tobacco and areca nut consumption: a population attributable fraction analysis. Lancet Oncol. 25, 1413–1423 (2024).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Breastfeeding. https://data.unicef.org/topic/nutrition/breastfeeding/ (UNICEF Data, 2025).

  • Read more
  • Air pollution: concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), SDG 11.6.2. World Health Organization https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/concentrations-of-fine-particulate-matter-(pm2-5) (2025).

  • Read more
  • Langselius, O. et al. Global burden of cutaneous melanoma incidence attributable to ultraviolet radiation in 2022. Int. J. Cancer 157, 1110–1119 (2025).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • WHO/ILO joint estimates of the work-related burden of disease and injury. World Health Organization https://www.who.int/teams/environment-climate-change-and-health/monitoring/who-ilo-joint-estimates (2021).

  • Read more
  • Kehoe, T., Gmel, G., Shield, K. D., Gmel, G. & Rehm, J. Determining the best population-level alcohol consumption model and its impact on estimates of alcohol-attributable harms. Popul. Health Metr. 10, 6 (2012).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Rehm, J. et al. Statistical modeling of volume of alcohol exposure for epidemiological studies of population health: the US example. Popul. Health Metr. 8, 3 (2010).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Shield, K. D. & Rehm, J. Difficulties with telephone-based surveys on alcohol consumption in high-income countries: the Canadian example. Int. J. Methods Psychiatr. Res. 21, 17–28 (2012).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC). Worldwide trends in underweight and obesity from 1990 to 2022: a pooled analysis of 3663 population-representative studies with 222 million children, adolescents, and adults. Lancet 403, 1027−1050 (2024).

  • Read more
  • Arnold, M. et al. Global burden of cancer attributable to high body-mass index in 2012: a population-based study. Lancet Oncol. 16, 36–46 (2015).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Prevalence of insufficient physical activity among adults. World Health Organization https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/prevalence-of-insufficient-physical-activity-among-adults-aged-18-years-(age-standardized-estimate)-(-) (2017).

  • Read more
  • WHO/ILO joint estimates of the work-related burden of disease and injury, 2000−2016: global monitoring report (World Health Organization, 2021); https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240034945

  • Read more
  • Pega, F., Hamzaoui, H., Náfrádi, B. & Momen, N. C. Global, regional and national burden of disease attributable to 19 selected occupational risk factors for 183 countries, 2000−2016: a systematic analysis from the WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-related Burden of Disease and Injury. Scand. J. Work Environ. Health 48, 158–168 (2022).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Reitsma, M. B. et al. Spatial, temporal, and demographic patterns in prevalence of smoking tobacco use and initiation among young people in 204 countries and territories, 1990–2019. Lancet Public Health 6, e472–e481 (2021).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Jordan, S. J., Whiteman, D. C., Purdie, D. M., Green, A. C. & Webb, P. M. Does smoking increase risk of ovarian cancer? A systematic review. Gynecol. Oncol. 103, 1122–1129 (2006).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research. Diet, Nutrition, Physical Activity and Cancer: a Global Perspective (World Cancer Research Fund, 2018); https://www.wcrf.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Summary-of-Third-Expert-Report-2018.pdf

  • Read more
  • Shield, K. et al. National, regional, and global burdens of disease from 2000 to 2016 attributable to alcohol use: a comparative risk assessment study. Lancet Public Health 5, e51–e61 (2020).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Bagnardi, V. et al. Alcohol consumption and site-specific cancer risk: a comprehensive dose−response meta-analysis. Br. J. Cancer 112, 580–593 (2015).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Abar, L. et al. Body size and obesity during adulthood, and risk of lympho-haematopoietic cancers: an update of the WCRF-AICR systematic review of published prospective studies. Ann. Oncol. 30, 528–541 (2019).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Wolin, K. Y., Yan, Y., Colditz, G. A. & Lee, I. M. Physical activity and colon cancer prevention: a meta-analysis. Br. J. Cancer 100, 611–616 (2009).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Friedenreich, C. M. & Cust, A. E. Physical activity and breast cancer risk: impact of timing, type and dose of activity and population subgroup effects. Br. J. Sports Med. 42, 636–647 (2008).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Schmid, D. et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of physical activity and endometrial cancer risk. Eur. J. Epidemiol. 30, 397–412 (2015).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Renfrew, M. J., McCormick, F. M., Wade, A., Quinn, B. & Dowswell, T. Support for healthy breastfeeding mothers with healthy term babies. Cochrane Database Syst. Rev. 5, CD001141 (2012).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Hamra, G. B. et al. Outdoor particulate matter exposure and lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Environ. Health Perspect. 122, 906–911 (2014).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Plummer, M., Franceschi, S., Vignat, J., Forman, D. & de Martel, C. Global burden of gastric cancer attributable to Helicobacter pylori. Int. J. Cancer 136, 487–490 (2015).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • de Martel, C., Plummer, M., Vignat, J. & Franceschi, S. Worldwide burden of cancer attributable to HPV by site, country and HPV type. Int. J. Cancer 141, 664–670 (2017).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • GBD 2017 Risk Factor Collaborators. Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 84 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks for 195 countries and territories, 1990−2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. Lancet 392, 1923−1994 (2018).

  • Read more
  • Levin, M. L. The occurrence of lung cancer in man. Acta Unio Int. Contra Cancrum 9, 531–541 (1953).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Rumgay, H. et al. Global burden of cancer in 2020 attributable to alcohol consumption: a population-based study. Lancet Oncol. 22, 1071–1080 (2021).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • Victora, C. G. et al. Breastfeeding in the 21st century: epidemiology, mechanisms, and lifelong effect. Lancet 387, 475–490 (2016).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more
  • WHO global air quality guidelines: particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide (World Health Organization, 2021); https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240034228

  • Read more
  • Arnold, M. et al. Global burden of cutaneous melanoma attributable to ultraviolet radiation in 2012. Int. J. Cancer 143, 1305–1314 (2018).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Read more

    Source link

    Read more

    Did you like this story?

    Please share by clicking this button!

    Visit our site and see all other available articles!

    Ubirata Online News – The truth within your reach