Epidemiology of gastrointestinal cancers: a systematic analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.

BACKGROUND

Gastrointestinal cancers comprise nearly one-third of global mortality from cancer, yet the comprehensive global burden of these cancers remains uninvestigated.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to assess the global, regional and national burden of gastrointestinal cancers.

DESIGNS

Data on oesophagus, gastric, colorectal, liver, pancreas and biliary tract cancers were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 database. Age-standardised incidence rate (ASIR) and age-standardised death rate (ASDR) were calculated by sex, region and Sociodemographic Index (SDI).

RESULTS

In 2021, there were 5.26 million incidences and 3.70 million deaths from gastrointestinal cancer. The greatest burden is from colorectal, followed by gastric, oesophageal, pancreatic, liver and biliary tract cancer. We noted geographical and socioeconomic differences in ASIR and ASDR across all types of cancers. From 2000 to 2021, ASIR increased for colorectal cancer (annual percent change (APC): 0.10%, 95% CI 0.05% to 0.14%), pancreatic cancer (APC: 0.27%, 95% CI 0.14% to 0.41%), and liver cancer from metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (APC: 0.62%, 95% CI 0.58% to 0.67%) and alcohol-related liver disease (APC: 0.26%, 95% CI 0.22% to 0.30%). ASDR increased for pancreatic cancer (APC: 0.18%, 95% CI 0.02% to 0.34%). Higher SDI countries had higher incidence rates for most types of gastrointestinal cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the ASIR of oesophageal, gastric and biliary tract cancer has decreased, the ASIR still increased in colorectal, pancreatic and liver cancer from steatotic liver disease. Public policies are important for controlling gastrointestinal cancers-most importantly, reducing alcohol consumption, hepatitis B immunisation and tackling the burden of metabolic diseases.

Informations de copyright

© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

Competing interests: MBW declared the conflict of interest as designated below: Consulting: Cosmo/Aries Pharmaceuticals, Verily, Boston Scientific, Endiatix, Intervenn, AlphaMed UAE, Fujifilm. Research grants: Fujifilm, Boston Scientific, Olympus, Medtronic, Ninepoint Medical, Cosmo/Aries Pharmaceuticals. Stock/Stock Options: Virgo Inc. Consulting on behalf of Mayo Clinic: Boston Scientific, Microtek. General payments/Minor Food and Beverage: Boston Scientific and Cook Medical. All other coauthors denied conflict of interest. LRR has been on advisory boards for AstraZeneca, Bayer, Eisai, Exact Sciences, Focus Medical Communication, Gilead Sciences, GRAIL, Inc., Novartis Venture Fund, Pontifax, and Roche. LR has received research support from Bayer, Boston Scientific, Exact Sciences, Fujifilm Medical Systems, Genentech, Gilead Sciences, Glycotest, Inc., HERMES, Innovo Bioanalysis, RedHill Biopharma, and TARGET Real World Evidence.