Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), supported by Clean Air Fund, has released a global report highlighting air pollution as a significant driver of multiple cancers and premature deaths—not just lung cancer.

The report, Clean Air in Cancer Control, finds that long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) increases overall cancer risk by 11%, with higher incidence of liver cancer (32%) and colorectal cancer (18%).

It also links rising pollution levels to a 12% increase in overall cancer mortality, including higher death rates from breast (20%), liver (14%), and lung cancer (13%).

Air pollution is estimated to cause around 434,000 lung cancer deaths annually, with emerging evidence also connecting it to brain, kidney, and bladder cancers.

The burden is uneven, with women, children, outdoor workers, and low-income communities facing higher exposure. Women exposed to household air pollution from solid fuels have a 69% higher risk of lung cancer. Low- and middle-income countries remain the most affected, with limited capacity to manage rising cancer cases projected to reach 35 million by 2050.

We have made huge strides in reducing deaths from cancer, but polluted air is silently undermining that progress. It is a risk people cannot opt out of, and one that disproportionately affects women, children and people living in poverty," said Cary Adams, CEO of UICC.

The report calls for urgent government action, including stricter air quality standards, clean energy transitions, better urban planning, and integration of air pollution control into national cancer strategies.