One in eight cancers worldwide likely caused by an infection — new study

According to Jamaica Observer (General News), Around 12 per cent 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 last Tuesday 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 (four per cent), human papillomavirus, or HPV (four per cent), hepatitis B (two per cent), Epstein-Barr virus (one per cent), and hepatitis C (under one per cent). These infections can cause more than 20 different types of cancer, including stomach, liver, blood, and cervical cancers. So, how can an infection cause cancer? And does this mean these cancers are preventable? Some of the study authors have been researching this field for around 30 years. T