New study reveals the leading preventable cause of cancer worldwide as doctors issue warning

A new study has revealed the leading preventable cause of cancer after finding that four in ten cases globally could be avoided.

While breakthroughs are being made all the time, cancer is often ranked as the second leading cause of death worldwide after cardiovascular disease.

Many people have a genetic disposition to developing cancer, but research suggests that lifestyle choices also play a huge part.

And a new study by the World Health Organization (WHO) has revealed the true extent of that after looking at 30 preventable and common causes of cancer.

These included alcohol, high body mass index, tobacco, physical inactivity, air pollution, ultraviolet radiation, and more.

The leading preventable cause is responsible for 15 percent of all new cases (Getty Images)

And the findings were reported ahead of World Cancer Day (February 4), which aims to raise awareness about the disease, promoting prevention, detection, and treatment.

As per the WHO, the study - based on data from 185 countries and 36 types of cancer - estimates that 37 percent of all new cancer cases in 2022, just over seven million, were linked to preventable causes.

The research identified tobacco as the leading preventable cause of cancer globally - responsible for 15 percent of all new cases.

Cancer-causing infections ranked second (10 percent), and alcohol consumption ranked third (three percent).

Smoking has been named as the top preventable cause of cancer (Getty Images)

Author of the study, Dr André Ilbawi, said: "This is the first global analysis to show how much cancer risk comes from causes we can prevent."

Interestingly, the results of the study differed between sexes - with 45 percent of cancer cases in men being preventable compared with 30 percent for women.

In men, smoking accounted for 23 percent of new cancer cases, but among women, infections were actually the leading cause of new cases (11 percent), followed by smoking at six percent.

Ilbawi added: "By examining patterns across countries and population groups, we can provide governments and individuals with more specific information to help prevent many cancer cases before they start."

The lead author noted that the findings were 'good news founded on strong science'.

It was estimated in 2022 that 49.2 million (19.8 percent) Americans use tobacco (around one in five), which contains over 5,000 chemicals - 70 of which are known to cause cancer - according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.