Worldwide, roughly one in every eight cancer cases is tied to a prior infection. According to a study published in The Lancet Oncology by researchers at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), infections accounted for 2.3 million new cancer diagnoses in the year 2024, representing about 12 percent of all newly diagnosed cancer cases globally.
The analysis examined twelve specific pathogens considered to be definitely carcinogenic. The vast majority of these infection-linked cases were driven by just five specific agents: the stomach bacterium Helicobacter pylori, human papillomaviruses (HPV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).
The five main polluters in a global comparison
The investigation reveals that the bacterium Helicobacter pylori In 2024, it was associated with approximately 760,000 cancer cases, accounting for about four percent of all newly diagnosed cancer cases. The hepatitis B virus was responsible for 360,000 new cases, while the Epstein-Barr virus was recorded with 260,000 cases and the hepatitis C virus with 160,000 new cases.
The significance of individual pathogens varies considerably from region to region. More than three-quarters of all infection-related cancer cases occurred in low- and middle-income countries. East Asia recorded the highest number of cases of widespread infections with[various pathogens]. Helicobacter pylori and Hepatitis B, while sub-Saharan Africa had the highest proportion – driven mainly by HPV and exacerbated by HIV.
Public health measures prevent many pathogen-related diseases
The new study This shows that many of these diseases can be prevented through established public health measures. These include vaccinations against HPV and hepatitis B, testing, and treatment for Helicobacter pylori and viral hepatitis, as well as screening programs for HPV-related cancers.
For other cancer-causing pathogens, however, effective vaccines are still lacking. This includes, for example, the Epstein-Barr virus, which, according to the researchers, shows that new preventative measures are needed.
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