World Health Organization study: One-eighth of cancer cases are infection-related

A study published in the journal The Lancet Oncology by World Health Organization researchers revealed that one out of every eight cancer cases worldwide stems from microbial infections. Viruses and bacteria trigger approximately 12 percent of cancers diagnosed globally, amounting to 2.3 million cases. Experts state that these infections can be prevented through vaccines, screening, or antibiotics.

Researchers identified a total of 20 different cancer types directly linked to infections. According to global statistics, five core pathogens are held responsible for the vast majority of infection-related cancer cases. Helicobacter pylori, the primary cause of stomach cancers, ranks first with approximately 760,000 cases, followed by Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which leads to cervical cancer, with 750,000 cases. Hepatitis B virus, which lays the groundwork for liver cancer, is found responsible for 360,000 cases, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) for 260,000 cases, and Hepatitis C virus for 160,000 cases.

While inequality stands out in the global distribution of the infection-related cancer burden, low- and middle-income countries host 77 percent of these cases. Due to the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori and Hepatitis B, the East Asian region accounts for nearly half of the global total with 990,000 cases. Medical Oncology Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ayşe İrem Yasin and Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hüsrev Diktaş point out that early diagnosis, regular screening, and vaccination programs are of critical importance in the fight against cancer. According to GLOBOCAN 2022 data in Turkey, while approximately 2,600 new cervical cancer cases are seen annually, experts emphasize the importance of including vaccines such as HPV and Hepatitis B in national programs.