National Cancer Institute, 5 April 2023

Cancer and Climate Change: The Health Threats of Unnatural Disasters

Over a span of four months in 2017, the United States experienced four deadly disasters that were likely worsened by climate change—Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria and wildfires in California.

At the time, knowledge about possible connections between climate change and cancer was limited. But after these disasters, researchers began to study how people with cancer had been affected by the events.

Today, a growing body of evidence suggests that the consequences of climate change, such as more frequent wildfires, sustained droughts and heat waves, and stronger and more intense tropical storms, may influence many aspects of cancer.