A World Health Organization (WHO) report says seven million cancer cases yearly can be prevented. Scientists found that 37% of cancers are caused by infections, lifestyle choices, and pollutants that we can avoid. Dr Isabelle Soerjomataram from WHO said, "people are surprised to hear" that nearly four in ten cancers can be prevented because it is "a substantial number." The report studied 30 risk factors, including smoking, UV radiation, obesity, physical inactivity, air pollution, and infections like HPV and hepatitis viruses. Smoking caused 3.3 million cancers, infections caused 2.3 million, and alcohol use caused 700,000 cases globally. There are differences by region and sex: 45% of men's cancers are preventable versus 30% in women, partly due to more men smoking. In Europe, the top causes for women are smoking, infection, and obesity. In sub-Saharan Africa, infections cause nearly 80% of preventable cancers in women. Dr Soerjomataram called the study a "landmark" revealing a big chance to cut cancer worldwide. Lung, stomach, and cervical cancers make up almost half of all preventable cases. Dr Andre Ilbawi of WHO said the study is "good news" and praised countries that fight smoking and promote HPV vaccination. "The percentage of preventable cancers can change over time and our goal is to get it as close to zero as possible," he added.