The precise figure from the WHO-IARC study is 37%, not exactly 40%. The 40% figure is a rounded approximation commonly used to express 'nearly 4 in 10' cases.
The study was published on February 3, 2026, just days before the parliamentary session on February 9, 2026.
The data refers to global estimates, not exclusively European Union data, though the figures are broadly applicable to high-income regions including Europe.
The 37% figure relates to cancer cases linked to 30 specific preventable risk factors including tobacco, alcohol, obesity, physical inactivity, air pollution, and infectious agents.
Sources
PrimaryWorld Health Organization (WHO)37% of cancer cases globally are linked to preventable causes; commonly expressed as 'four in ten' or approximately 40% of cases preventable through addressing 30 modifiable risk factors
SecondaryUnited Nations News37 per cent of all new cancer cases in 2022, around 7.1 million, were linked to preventable causes; described as 'nearly 40 per cent'
SecondaryMedical News Todayup to four in 10 new cases of cancer globally are preventable according to WHO-IARC analysis