A new IARC study published in The Lancet Oncology estimates that infections caused 2.3 million new cancer cases globally in 2024.
An estimated 2.3 million new cancer cases globally in 2024 were attributable to infections, accounting for about 12 percent of all new cancer cases, according to a new study published in The Lancet Oncology.
The study, led by researchers from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), provides an updated assessment of the global cancer burden associated with infectious agents.
Titled “Global burden of cancer attributable to infections in 2024: a worldwide incidence analysis,” the study was published online on September 28, 2026, and is based on estimates from the IARC Global Cancer Observatory database.
The researchers assessed cancers attributable to infectious agents classified as Group 1 carcinogens by the IARC Monographs Programme and calculated population-attributable fractions, numbers of cases and age-standardised incidence rates by sex, age and country.
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) was associated with the largest number of infection-attributable cancer cases, with about 760,000 cases globally.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) followed with approximately 750,000 cases, while hepatitis B virus (HBV) was linked to about 360,000 cases.
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) accounted for approximately 260,000 cases, while hepatitis C virus (HCV) was associated with about 160,000 cases.
Together, the five infections accounted for most of the cancer cases attributed to infectious agents in the analysis.
The updated study incorporated additional infectious agents, including HIV and Merkel cell polyomavirus, as well as newly established infection-cancer associations. It also included additional cancer types associated with previously recognised carcinogenic infections, including evidence linking EBV with gastric cancer.
Eastern Asia recorded the largest absolute burden, with about 990,000 infection-attributable cancer cases, representing approximately 42 percent of the global total.
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded the highest age-standardised incidence rate among the regions highlighted in the study, at 28.5 cases per 100,000 people, compared with the global average of 22.7 cases per 100,000.
Central and eastern Europe recorded an age-standardised incidence rate of 24.3 cases per 100,000, while southeastern Asia recorded 23.1 cases per 100,000.
The findings point to substantial geographical differences in the burden of cancers associated with infections, reflecting differences in infection prevalence, cancer patterns and access to prevention and treatment.
The researchers said the findings highlight the importance of infection prevention and control as part of broader cancer-control strategies.
They identified vaccination against HPV and HBV as important preventive measures, alongside testing and treatment for HIV, H. pylori, HBV and HCV.
Other interventions include safe injection practices, condom use and pre-exposure prophylaxis to reduce HIV transmission, as well as screening for precancerous lesions associated with HPV-driven cervical and anal cancers.
IARC notes that persistent infection with high-risk HPV types is the main cause of cervical cancer and that HPV vaccination and screening can substantially reduce the risk of the disease.
The researchers also said the findings could help guide research and development investments in new cancer-prevention tools, particularly interventions targeting EBV.
They stressed that strengthening vaccination, screening, diagnosis and treatment programmes could help reduce the number of cancers associated with infectious agents.
The study concluded that infectious agents remain an important preventable cause of cancer worldwide, making infection control a key component of comprehensive cancer-prevention and control efforts.
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