A recent population-based systematic analysis of GLOBOCAN has revealed the global, regional, and national lifetime risks of developing and dying from gastrointestinal cancers in 185 countries. The study, conducted by a team of researchers including Shaoming Wang, PhD, Rongshou Zheng, MPH, and Prof Hongmei Zeng, Ph.D., aimed to estimate the lifetime risks of developing and dying from gastrointestinal cancers at the country, world region, and global levels in 2020.
The findings of the analysis indicated that gastrointestinal cancers account for a significant portion of the global cancer incidence and related deaths. The global lifetime risks of developing and dying from gastrointestinal cancers from birth to death were estimated at 8.20% and 6.17% respectively in 2020. Furthermore, the study highlighted disparities between genders, with men having a higher risk of developing and dying from gastrointestinal cancers compared to women.
Colorectal cancer emerged as the leading contributor to the total lifetime risk of developing and dying from gastrointestinal cancers, followed by cancers of the stomach, liver, esophagus, pancreas, and gallbladder. The analysis also revealed regional variations in the lifetime risks of specific gastrointestinal cancers, with Eastern Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and Western Europe showing distinct patterns.
Notably, the study found a consistent increase in the lifetime risk of gastrointestinal cancers with the level of Human Development Index (HDI), indicating a correlation between socioeconomic development and cancer risk. However, it was observed that high HDI countries had the highest death risk, emphasizing the need for targeted gastrointestinal cancer control and health systems planning in these regions.
The research, supported by the Beijing Nova Program, CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences, and Talent Incentive Program of Cancer, underscores the importance of context-specific strategies to address the identified high risks and disparities across different countries. The implications of these findings are significant and call for focused efforts in gastrointestinal cancer prevention and control on a global scale.
