2026-09-29 from cbc.ca

For many people, sun exposure, smoking and family history are the first thoughts that come to mind regarding cancer risk factors. While infections are rarely high on the list, new research shows one in eight cancers worldwide are actually caused by them. 

These viruses, bacteria and other microbes are the focus of a new paper published Monday in The Lancet Oncology that linked an estimated 2.3 million new cancer cases in 2024 — 12 per cent of all new cases —  to these infectious agents.

A team of researchers at The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), an arm of the World Health Organization, conducted the study. They found the largest number of cancer cases attributed to infections globally were caused by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, which can increase the risk of stomach cancer and accounted for 760,000 cases, predominantly in eastern Asia.

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