Vaccinations could prevent huge number of cancer deaths

A new study by the International Agency for Cancer Research claims that one in six cancer deaths worldwide (representing 1.5 million people annually) are caused by preventable infections, a rate that could be lowered by widespread vaccinations. While the researchers acknowledged that the causes of many cancers are unknown, some cancers -- including cervical, stomach, liver and lymphoma -- could be prevented with vaccinations for the viruses that cause them. Worldwide, 16.5 percent of cancers are caused by infectious diseases, and rates are three times as high in developing countries than in developed ones.