06/01/2026
What is ~90% of cancer caused by?
Contrary to popular belief, the majority of cancers are not primarily driven by inherited genes.
Decades of epidemiologic research show that around 90% of cancers are attributable to modifiable, environmental and lifestyle-related factors, while only about 5–10% arise from inherited genetic mutations.
According to global cancer data from the World Health Organization and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the dominant contributors include:
• To***co use (the single largest cause of preventable cancer)
• Unhealthy diet, obesity, and physical inactivity
• Alcohol consumption
• Chronic infections (HPV, hepatitis B & C, H. pylori)
• Environmental and occupational exposures (air pollution, asbestos, radiation)
• Ultraviolet radiation from the sun
These factors act slowly, silently, and cumulatively—often over decades—altering cellular biology until normal regulation fails.
This reality carries an empowering message:
Most cancers are, in principle, preventable.
Prevention is not abstract. It means to***co control, vaccination, clean air, healthy food systems, physical activity, early detection, and policies that make healthy choices easier than unhealthy ones.
Cancer is not merely a matter of fate or faulty genes.
It is, to a large extent, a reflection of how we live, work, eat, breathe, and protect our populations.
As oncologists, clinicians, and public health advocates, prevention is not optional—it is our most powerful treatment.
Dr. Amit Kumar Jain - Best Leading Oncologist and Hematologist in Bangalore.
MBBS, MD - General Medicine
DNB - Medical Oncology
For Appointment:
📞 +91 91486 90492