HEALTH: Factors that promote cancer

Tobacco, alcohol envirnment among the factors that promote cancer, according to scientists

By Badylon Kawanda Bakiman

The issue of cancer is widely discussed around the world in general and in the Democratic Republic of Congo in particular. It is one of the diseases that threaten public health.

Scientists say that tobacco, alcohol, and the environment are among the modifiable factors that contribute to cancer and that everyone's involvement is necessary to effectively combat this disease.

All this information was presented during the conference-debate held on Saturday, February 14, 2026, in the Muzito Hall at the University of Kikwit (UNIKIK) in Kwilu Province in the southwestern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Organized by the League of Friends of Science (LAS) of the UNIKIK Faculty of Medicine, this conference-debate was an ideal opportunity to raise awareness among communities so that they take this issue seriously and everyone gets involved in the fight.

"Let's stand together against cancer. This conference follows on from World Cancer Day, which is celebrated every February 4. We felt it was important to bring people together to raise awareness that cancer is a real threat and that we can all join forces to fight it effectively. It is also necessary to monitor our lifestyle habits: avoiding alcohol and tobacco and improving our environment," said Guy Mayimba, a third-year medical student and coordinator of LAS UNIKIK.

He also urged the population to get into the habit of consulting doctors early on, without waiting until they are sick. “The fight against cancer is effective when the disease is diagnosed early. We must be vigilant about our own health,” he insisted.
The two speakers of the day, student Guy Mayimba and Dr. Vincent Mbatu, one of the DRC's leading pathology specialists, began by defining cancer and the factors that contribute to it.

“Cancer is not inevitable. It can be cured. Among the factors that contribute to cancer are genetic factors linked to family history; behavioral factors, such as alcohol consumption, smoking, and unhealthy eating habits; as well as environmental factors. It is therefore important to maintain a healthy living environment,” explained Dr. Vincent Mbatu.

In 2022, approximately 9.7 million people died from cancer worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In 2020, cancer caused nearly 10 million deaths. These figures show that cancer remains one of the leading causes of death globally.

The most common cancers are breast cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, and prostate cancer. Nearly one-third of cancer deaths are due to smoking, high body mass index, alcohol consumption, insufficient fruit and vegetable intake, or lack of physical activity. Air pollution is also a major risk factor for lung cancer. In low- and middle-income countries, about 30% of cancer cases are attributable to infections such as hepatitis or human papillomavirus (HPV) infection," says the WHO.