1 in 8 cancer cases worldwide linked to infections, study suggests

New research published in The Lancet Oncology suggests that infections were responsible for about 12 per cent of new cancer cases worldwide in 2024, or roughly 2.3 million cases. The study was led by researchers at the International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization. The biggest contributors were Helicobacter pylori, which is tied to stomach cancer, and human papillomavirus, or HPV, which is linked to cervical cancer and several other cancers. Hepatitis B and C viruses were also associated with many liver cancer cases, and the study added several infections to its list of cancercausing agents. Researchers said the findings highlight large regional differences in prevention and treatment, with higherincome countries generally doing better because of screening and vaccination programs. In Canada, infections were estimated to account for about 4 per cent of cancers in a 2019 study, and experts say HPV and H. pylori remain important targets for prevention.