Clean air in cancer control: An overview of the evidence

Air pollution is widely recognised as a major environmental risk to health. The World Health Organization estimates that 99% of the global population is exposed to air that exceeds its guideline limits for pollutants. In 2013, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified outdoor (ambient) air pollution as a Group 1 carcinogen, with a well‑established link to lung cancer. Recent IARC estimates suggest that over 434,000 lung cancer cases each year can be attributed to air pollution.

While the association with lung cancer is well established, growing evidence indicates that air pollution may also increase the risk of other cancer types and contribute to higher cancer‑related mortality. This report summarises the current state of the evidence by synthesising findings from 42 systematic reviews and meta‑analyses, providing an overview of the relationship between air pollution and cancer. 

Notably it shows that long-term exposure to polluted air (small particles or PM2.5) raises the overall risk of an individual developing cancer by 11%, and the overall risk of dying from cancer by 12%. 

Its aim is to support awareness and understanding across the cancer and clean‑air communities of the links between air pollution exposure and cancer risk.

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