Global burden of cancer attributable to infections in 2024: a worldwide incidence analysis.
Infections caused 2.3 million new cancer cases in 2024, representing 12% of all global cancers, with Helicobacter pylori and HPV being the leading agents.
- Why it matters: Infectious agents are a preventable cause of cancer worldwide, yet effective prevention strategies are underutilized, leaving a significant burden unaddressed.
- What they did: Using data from the GLOBOCAN 2024 database, the study estimated the incidence, population-attributable fractions, and age-standardized rates for 12 carcinogenic infectious agents across different regions and income groups.
- The result: Findings emphasize the critical need for infection control measures, such as vaccination and screening, to reduce cancer burden, especially in high-incidence regions like eastern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, and support investment in new prevention tools.