Five infections linked to 12% of global cancer cases

An estimated 2.3 million new cancer cases worldwide in 2024 — about 12% of the total — were attributable to infections, according to an IARC analysis published in The Lancet Oncology. Five agents account for most: Helicobacter pylori, HPV, hepatitis B, Epstein-Barr virus and hepatitis C. Vaccination, screening and treatment can prevent many of these cancers, but access remains uneven globally.