5 Infections, Including Epstein-Barr Virus, Were Linked to 2.3 Million New Cancer Cases in 2024
Learn how H. pylori, HPV, hepatitis B and C, and the virus behind mono can lead to cancer, and how vaccines and treatment can reduce risk.
In 2024, approximately 2.3 million new cancer cases were linked to infectious diseases, according to a global estimate published in The Lancet Oncology. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) researchers found that Epstein-Barr virus was responsible for roughly 260,000 of these cases, the second highest after H. pylori, HPV, and hepatitis B. The virus, which causes mononucleosis (mono), remains in a person's body for life and can potentially trigger cancer through viral proteins that cause cells to divide uncontrollably.
However, only a small percentage of infected individuals develop cancer. The distribution of Epstein-Barr-related cancers varies by region, with nasopharyngeal cancer being most common in Southeast Asia and Burkitt lymphoma prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa. Other infections like H. pylori, HPV, and hepatitis B also contribute significantly to cancer cases, with H. pylori being tied to about 760,000 cases, mainly stomach cancers in eastern Asia.
Vaccines are available to prevent some of these infections, such as H. pylori and hepatitis B, but an effective vaccine for Epstein-Barr remains elusive, highlighting the need for further research and development.
Written by urgent.news from Discover Magazine's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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