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News
A new global study finds that 2.3 million cancers diagnosed in 2024 — about 1 in 8 — were linked to infections like H. pylori, HPV, and hepatitis B and C. The good news? Most of these cancers are preventable with existing tools like vaccines, screening, and treatment. The burden falls hardest on low- and middle-income countries, making equitable access a critical global priority.
A sweeping new analysis published in The Lancet Oncology reveals that 2.3 million cancers diagnosed worldwide in 2024 — roughly 1 in every 8 cases — were attributable to infectious agents. Led by researchers at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the study is the most comprehensive update to global infection-related cancer estimates since 2018, incorporating new evidence on HIV and Merkel cell polyomavirus as cancer-causing agents.
Five pathogens drove nearly all infection-linked cancers: H. pylori, HPV, hepatitis B virus (HBV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV). One standout finding was EBV's outsized role — previously tied mainly to nasopharyngeal cancer and lymphoma, it's now also recognized as a cause of gastric cancer, making its cancer burden larger than previously estimated. Over 77% of infection-related cancers occurred in low- or middle-income countries, with eastern Asia bearing the heaviest load.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: The researchers emphasize that this is not just a cancer problem — it's a global health equity issue. Vaccines, screening programs, and treatments already exist to prevent many of these cancers, but access remains deeply unequal. Expanding and equitably distributing these tools could dramatically cut the global cancer burden.
