Cancer Burden Attributable to Potentially Modifiable Risk Factors in Australia

Tenaw Tiruye^{1

2}, Bereket Duko^{3

4}, Laychiluh Mekonnen⁵, Paul Ward³, Trang H H D Nguyen¹, Stephanie Byrne^{6

7}, David Roder¹, Kerri Beckmann¹

Affiliations

¹ Cancer Epidemiology and Population Health Research Group, Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5000, Australia.
² School of Public Health, Debre Markos University, Debre Markos P.O. Box 269, Ethiopia.
³ Research Centre for Public Health, Equity and Human Flourishing (PHEHF), Torrens University Australia, Wakefield Street Campus, Adelaide 5000, Australia.
⁴ Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bently 6102, Australia.
⁵ Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5000, Australia.
⁶ School of Public Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia.
⁷ Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5000, Australia.

PMID: 41097630
PMCID: PMC12524207
DOI: 10.3390/cancers17193101

Cancer Burden Attributable to Potentially Modifiable Risk Factors in Australia

Tenaw Tiruye et al. Cancers (Basel). 2025.

. 2025 Sep 23;17(19):3101.

doi: 10.3390/cancers17193101.

Authors

Tenaw Tiruye^{1

2}, Bereket Duko^{3

4}, Laychiluh Mekonnen⁵, Paul Ward³, Trang H H D Nguyen¹, Stephanie Byrne^{6

7}, David Roder¹, Kerri Beckmann¹

Affiliations

¹ Cancer Epidemiology and Population Health Research Group, Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5000, Australia.
² School of Public Health, Debre Markos University, Debre Markos P.O. Box 269, Ethiopia.
³ Research Centre for Public Health, Equity and Human Flourishing (PHEHF), Torrens University Australia, Wakefield Street Campus, Adelaide 5000, Australia.
⁴ Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bently 6102, Australia.
⁵ Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5000, Australia.
⁶ School of Public Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia.
⁷ Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5000, Australia.

PMID: 41097630
PMCID: PMC12524207
DOI: 10.3390/cancers17193101

Abstract

Understanding the relative contribution of modifiable risk factors to cancer morbidity and mortality is crucial for designing effective cancer prevention and control strategies. Our study estimated cancer-related deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors in Australia using data from the Global Burden of Diseases 2021 study. In 2021, an estimated 20,409 cancer deaths (37.5%) and 431,575 cancer DALYs lost (37.9%) in Australia were attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors. Males had higher modifiable risk attributed to cancer death and DALY rates than females. Behavioral risks accounted for 25.0% of cancer deaths and 26.5% of DALYs. Metabolic risks and environmental/occupational risks accounted for 9.4% and 9.3% of deaths, respectively. Smoking remained the leading attributable risk factor, accounting for 12.2% cancer deaths and 13.1% DALYs lost. Dietary risks accounted for 40.0% of colorectal cancer deaths and DALYs lost. Cervical, larynx, liver, lung, and colorectal cancers had a high proportion of deaths and DALYs lost attributed to modifiable risks. Liver and nasopharyngeal cancers had the highest burden attributed to alcohol use (39.1% and 39.0%, respectively), while 21.3% liver cancer deaths were attributed to drug use. Strengthening public health interventions, such as multi-disciplinary approaches to promote a healthy lifestyle, is required.

Keywords: Australia; death; disability-adjusted life years; global burden of disease; neoplasms.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

**Figure 1**
Cancer-related deaths and DALYs lost attributed to all GBD risk factors in Australia in 2021, both sexes.

**Figure 2**
All cancer deaths and DALYs lost attributed to selected GBD risk factors in Australia in 2021.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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Cancer Burden Attributable to Potentially Modifiable Risk Factors in Australia

Affiliations

Cancer Burden Attributable to Potentially Modifiable Risk Factors in Australia

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

Figures

References

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources