Approximately 2.3 million new cases of cancer worldwide in 2024, or 1 in 8 of all new cases, were attributable to an infection, in the first global analysis to include HIV in an estimate of cancer incidence from infection.1 Most of the infections were preventable, according to the report, or could have been treated before cancer develops.
"Infectious agents are a major preventable cause of cancer globally and are estimated to be the leading modifiable risk factor for cancer among women in 141 countries and men in 58 countries," observe Harriet Rumgay, PhD, Cancer Surveillance Branch, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France, and colleagues.
"Importantly, many carcinogenic infectious agents have existing or potential preventive interventions, including vaccines, diagnostics, treatments, and safe-injection practices."
The investigators note that 13 infectious agents—including 9 viruses, one bacterium and 3 parasites—are categorized as Group 1 carcinogens in humans in the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Monographs Progamme.2 These include Helicobacter pylori, hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), human papillomavirus (HPV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and Kaposi's sacroma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV).
These pathogens are implicated in 37 causal infection-cancer pairs, including:from H pylori, non-cardia gastric cancer, cardia gastric cancer, and Non-Hodgkin lymphoma of gastric locationfrom HBV, hepatocellular carcinoma and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomafrom KSHV, Kaposi's sarcoma and primary effusion lymphomaDrawing on the Global Cancer Observatory's Cancer Today (GLOBOCAN) database of cancer incidence in 2024, Rumgay and colleagues estimated the population-attributable fraction (PAF), absolute numbers, and age-standardized incidence rates (ASIR) of new cancer cases attributable to 12 of the infectious agents classified as Group 1 carcinogens.
Approximately 2.3 million new cases of cancer worldwide in 2024, or 1 in 8 of all new cases, were attributable to an infection, in the first global analysis to include HIV in an estimate of cancer incidence from infection.1 Most of the infections were preventable, according to the report, or could have been treated before cancer develops.
"Infectious agents are a major preventable cause of cancer globally and are estimated to be the leading modifiable risk factor for cancer among women in 141 countries and men in 58 countries," observe Harriet Rumgay, PhD, Cancer Surveillance Branch, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France, and colleagues. "Importantly, many carcinogenic infectious agents have existing or potential preventive interventions, including vaccines, diagnostics, treatments, and safe-injection practices."
The investigators note that 13 infectious agents—including 9 viruses, one bacterium and 3 parasites—are categorized as Group 1 carcinogens in humans in the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Monographs Progamme.2 These include Helicobacter pylori, hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), human papillomavirus (HPV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and Kaposi's sacroma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV).
These pathogens are implicated in 37 causal infection-cancer pairs, including:
from H pylori, non-cardia gastric cancer, cardia gastric cancer, and Non-Hodgkin lymphoma of gastric location
from HBV, hepatocellular carcinoma and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma
from KSHV, Kaposi's sarcoma and primary effusion lymphoma
Drawing on the Global Cancer Observatory's Cancer Today (GLOBOCAN) database of cancer incidence in 2024, Rumgay and colleagues estimated the population-attributable fraction (PAF), absolute numbers, and age-standardized incidence rates (ASIR) of new cancer cases attributable to 12 of the infectious agents classified as Group 1 carcinogens.
