Brief
WHO study links infections to one in eight cancer cases worldwide
Researchers say 12% of cancers in 2024 were tied to 12 infectious agents, with H. pylori and HPV each causing around 750,000 cases.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Researchers working with the World Health Organization reported that infectious diseases contributed to roughly one in eight cancer cases worldwide in 2024, amounting to about 2.3 million cancers, according to a study published in The Lancet Oncology.
The analysis examined the cancer burden of 12 pathogens, including viruses such as HPV, HIV, hepatitis B and C, Epstein‑Barr virus, Kaposi’s sarcoma‑associated herpesvirus, human T‑cell lymphotropic virus‑1 and Merkel cell polyomavirus, the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, and three parasitic fluke worms. The only Group 1 carcinogen omitted was hepatitis D, which only infects people already carrying hepatitis B.
Results showed that Helicobacter pylori was the single largest contributor, linked to about 760,000 stomach cancer cases, while human papillomavirus accounted for roughly 750,000 cancers, primarily cervical. Hepatitis B was associated with more than 300,000 cancers and hepatitis C with over 100,000, most of them liver cancers.
The study underscores that many of these infections are preventable or treatable. An effective vaccine exists for HPV, and screening programmes can reduce the impact of hepatitis B and C, the researchers said.
Key facts
- Infectious diseases caused about 12% of global cancer cases in 2024 (2.3 million cancers). (gizmodo.com)
- Helicobacter pylori accounted for roughly 760,000 stomach cancer cases. (gizmodo.com)
- Human papillomavirus was linked to about 750,000 cancers, mainly cervical. (gizmodo.com)
- Hepatitis B and C together contributed over 400,000 liver cancer cases. (gizmodo.com)
Sources
- [1] gizmodo.com — originally reported as “1 in 8 Cancers Are Caused by Infections. The Biggest Culprit Isn't HPV”
