Confronting the Global Cancer Crisis

Addressing cancer begins with understanding its causes. Research shows that nearly half of cancer deaths are linked to modifiable risk factors, such as diets high in ultra-processed food and sugary drinks, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, air pollution, and physical inactivity.

Exposure to these factors can trigger metabolic and physiological changes that elevate cancer risk. Therefore, identifying and targeting them is a crucial first step in reducing the burden of preventable cancers globally.

Azevedo e Silva G, de Moura L, Curado MP, Gomes FdS, Otero U, Rezende LFMd, et al. (2016). The Fraction of Cancer Attributable to Ways of Life, Infections, Occupation, and Environmental Agents in Brazil in 2020. PLoS ONE 11(2): e0148761. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0148761

These risks take root in people’s lives through a complex interplay of economic circumstances, social norms, and industry influence. Together, these factors unsuspectingly shape environments and steer consumer preferences in ways that end up driving harmful behavior.

For decades, food industry giants successfully marketed their products as healthy, time-saving solutions for the modern Brazilian household. As a result, ultra-processed products like condensed milk and instant noodles have become common staples in kitchen pantries across the country and increasingly make up larger portions of Brazilian diets. This shift, driven largely by the industrialization of food environments, has had a disastrous impact on public health, contributing to rising rates of cancer and diabetes.

Political pressure has also become a major obstacle to advancing public health in Brazil. Its national anti-tobacco committee faced attacks from federal leaders with close ties to major tobacco companies. This year, the beer industry launched a parliamentary front backed by nearly 200 Congress members to advance their interests, from shaping legislation to expanding market reach. These forces operate to shape cultural habits and protect corporate interests at the expense of public health.

Tackling these challenges is tough. Ingrained cultural norms clash with health goals, while powerful industries relentlessly push harmful products and obstruct vital regulations. Government policies often falter against this resistance. This deadlock of culture, commerce, and politics ensures single fixes fail. But proven solutions do exist: smart policy can prevent needless deaths and cut cancer’s heavy economic drag on Brazil, and can serve as inspiration for the global stage.

While working towards change appears challenging, Brazil has already proven it’s possible. Brazil’s progress began with tobacco, the leading preventable cause of cancer, and that success has laid the foundation for broader efforts to reduce risk and improve health. Over the last 30 years, the country’s campaign against tobacco use stands as a model of coordinated action through a combination of strong laws, public education campaigns, graphic warnings, and higher tobacco taxes. This has contributed to a substantial reduction in smoking prevalence and is projected to prevent 7 million premature deaths in the next 25 years.

The timeline below highlights key milestones in Brazil’s public health response against tobacco use, including legal reforms, regulatory institutions, and national education campaigns that collectively helped drive smoking rates down.

Even with these successes, progress isn’t always linear. In 2023, Brazil saw its first significant increase in smoking prevalence in over three decades, due in part to political shifts and aggressive industry interference and marketing. These competing interests can undermine hard-won advances. Brazil’s successful campaign for front-of-package warning labels on unhealthy foods offers another example of progress, but like tobacco control, the gains rely on sustained, long-term action and enforcement, especially as growing threats continue to drive cancer risk further upwards.

These projections underscore both the scale of Brazil’s public health challenge and the opportunity for prevention. Despite the rising toll, Brazil has made measurable progress in reducing its overall cancer burden—particularly through tobacco control and early detection. These successes show that coordinated, evidence-based strategies can drive meaningful change. With strong data, clear communication, sound policies, and effective implementation, Brazil has the tools it needs to build on this progress and save millions of lives.

Of the projected 11-14 million cancer deaths by 2050, over 415,000 are expected to be caused by alcohol. Like tobacco-related cancers, these deaths are largely preventable. Comprehensive strategies—such as those used in tobacco control—are now urgently needed in other high-risk areas, including alcohol policy, where similar coordinated campaigns could have a powerful impact.