One in eight cancers are likely caused by an infection – Study
Originally published by Citizen Digital — Read the original article →
Around 12% of the world’s total cancer cases in 2024 were likely caused by an infection, according to new research from the World Health Organization (WHO).
The study, published today in The Lancet Oncology, analysed the frequency and causes of different cancers, specifically examining the role of infections.
It linked 2.3 million new cancer cases to an infection. Most were caused by just five pathogens: Helicobacter pylori (4%), human papillomavirus, or HPV (4%), hepatitis B (2%), Epstein-Barr virus (1%) and hepatitis C (under 1%). These infections can cause more than 20 different types of cancer, including stomach, liver, blood and cervical cancers.
