An estimated 2.3 million new cancer cases in 2024, about 12% of the global total, were caused by infections, according to a study from the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer published in The Lancet Oncology.
By the numbers: Five agents account for almost all of it: the stomach bacterium Helicobacter pylori (760,000 cases), HPV (750,000), hepatitis B (about 360,000), Epstein-Barr virus (about 260,000) and hepatitis C (about 160,000).
- Eastern Asia accounts for 42% of infection-related cancers, driven by Helicobacter pylori and hepatitis B, and more than three quarters of cases occur in low- and middle-income countries. The analysis draws on IARC's Global Cancer Observatory database and adds newer links, including HIV and Merkel cell polyomavirus.
Why it matters: This is one of the few cancer statistics with a to-do list attached. Check that you and your kids are vaccinated for HPV and hepatitis B, ask about a Helicobacter pylori breath or stool test if you have persistent stomach symptoms, and keep up with cervical screening.
What's next: IARC's prescription is already on the shelf: HPV and hepatitis B vaccination, testing and treatment for Helicobacter pylori and viral hepatitis, HIV prevention and care, and screening for HPV-related cancers. The agency also called for new vaccines, especially against Epstein-Barr virus.
