Design: Worldwide incidence analysis using population-attributable fractions
Population: Global cancer incidence (GLOBOCAN 2024), 12 Group 1 infectious agents
Primary outcome: New cancer cases attributable to infection
Effect: 2.3 million cases (12% of all cancers); H. pylori 760,000, HPV 750,000

This analysis applied population-attributable fractions to GLOBOCAN's 2024 cancer incidence estimates for 12 infectious agents classed as Group 1 carcinogens.

An estimated 2.3 million new cancers in 2024, 12% of the global total, were attributable to infection. Helicobacter pylori accounted for about 760,000 cases and HPV for about 750,000, followed by hepatitis B (360,000), Epstein–Barr virus (260,000) and hepatitis C (160,000). Eastern Asia carried 42% of the burden; age-standardised rates were also above the global average in sub-Saharan Africa, central and eastern Europe and south-eastern Asia.

These cancers are among the most preventable. For Indian practice, the relevant levers are HPV vaccination and cervical screening, hepatitis B vaccination and treatment, and testing and treating H. pylori where gastric cancer risk is high.

Recommend HPV vaccination for eligible girls and young women and support cervical screening.
Check hepatitis B vaccination status and offer vaccination to unprotected adults.
Test for and treat chronic hepatitis B and C; both cause liver cancer.
Consider H. pylori testing and eradication in people at raised gastric cancer risk.
Screen people with HIV for associated cancers, including cervical and anal cancer.

Why it matters

A large share of cancer burden has prevention tools that already exist and are underused.

The statistics, in plain English

A population-attributable fraction estimates how many cancers would not occur if an infection were eliminated. These are modelled estimates built on incidence data and assumed risk relationships, so they are approximate.