Jul 2026· Cancer Biology and Medicine· Vol 23, pp. 1016 - 1030· 0 citations· 39 references
Medicine
TL;DR
Lifetime risk of breast cancer disparities reveal the socioeconomic inequalities of breast cancer, and country-tailored intervention plans for breast cancer require prioritization within precision prevention to mitigate global breast cancer inequities and burden.
Abstract
Objective: Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women worldwide and is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Comparative assessments of breast cancer lifetime risks across populations are limited. This study estimated the global, regional, and national lifetime risks, temporal trends, and socioeconomic inequalities in the burden of breast cancer. Methods: Using incidence and mortality data from GLOBOCAN 2022 (185 countries) and United Nations population and all-cause death data, lifetime risks were calculated using the adjusted for multiple primaries (AMP) method, which could adjust for multiple primary cancers, competing risks of other causes death, and life expectancy. Longitudinal data of breast cancer incidence from 2003–2017 were retrieved from the Cancer Incidence in Five Continents (CI5) Plus database. The temporal trends for breast cancer deaths were abstracted from the WHO Mortality Database. The lifetime risk of developing and dying from breast cancer were analyzed by socioeconomic characteristics, 20 predefined geographic regions and menopausal status. Results: The overall worldwide lifetime risk of developing and dying from breast cancer was 5.51% (95% CI: 5.50%–5.52%) and 1.82% (95% CI: 1.82%–1.83%) in 2022, respectively. The estimated lifetime risks of developing breast cancer had a positive relationship with Human Development Index (HDI) levels and corresponding risks of 10.37%, 4.42%, 2.96%, and 2.91% in very high, high, middle, and low HDI regions, respectively. Very high HDI regions presented the highest lifetime risk of breast cancer death (2.70%), followed by low HDI (1.70%), medium HDI (1.54%), and high (1.38%) HDI regions. A significant correlation was identified between lifetime risks and health economics capacity. The lifetime risk of developing and dying from breast cancer primarily involved individuals ≥ 55 years of age with remaining risks of 3.77% (developing) and 1.43% (dying) from 55 years to death. The proportion of lifetime risks among individuals 0–44 years of age was higher in Africa regions compared to other regions. In surveillance data from 36 countries, a significant increasing trend in the average annual percentage change (AAPC) was noted in 32 countries, which ranged from 0.17% in the United States to 5.84% in the Republic of Korea. Conclusions: Globally, an estimated 1 in 18 individuals were diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime and approximately 1 in 55 died from the disease in 2022. Lifetime risk of breast cancer disparities reveal the socioeconomic inequalities of breast cancer. Therefore, country-tailored intervention plans for breast cancer require prioritization within precision prevention to mitigate global breast cancer inequities and burden.
The findings suggest that socioeconomic and environmental factors may be associated with regional disparities in lung cancer burden and could offer insights for targeted prevention policies, including smoking control and air quality management.
Jiawei Zhai, Hui-Juan Zheng, Lan-Gang Xue· Frontiers in Public Health· 0 citations
The cancer burden in India is rising due to population aging, growth, changing risk factors, and improved awareness and diagnostics. Using data from the nationally representative Million Death Study, we assessed cancer mortality trends over 2004-2013 and estimated figures for 2020. Cause-, age-, and sex-specific proportions of cancer deaths were applied to the corresponding United Nations estimates of total deaths for each year. Age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs) per 100 000 were calculated, and 2020 mortality was projected using proportions from 2011 to 2013. Mortality from all cancers combined and major cancer sites remained stable or slightly declined over 2004-2013. In 2020, over 450 000 cancer deaths were estimated for both sexes at ages 30-69 years, corresponding to ASMRs of 76.5 males and 79.4 females. Leading male causes of cancer death were oral (ASMR: 22.9), colorectal (8.6), and lung (8.0) cancer; among females, oral (12.8), uterine - mainly cervical - (9.9), and colorectal (9.8) cancer were predominant. ASMRs varied markedly by region, with the highest rates observed in eastern states, rural areas, and wealthier states. Cancer remains a major cause of death in India, with notably high rates of oral, stomach, and cervical cancers. These largely preventable cancers, together with marked regional disparities, highlight substantial opportunities for cancer prevention. Reliable, nationally representative mortality data, as provided by this study, are critical for guiding cancer control policies in India. By quantifying the burden of largely preventable cancers and regional inequalities, these findings support targeted prevention, early detection, and resource allocation at both national and state levels.
C. Santucci, M. Pizzato, Wilson Suraweera et al.· European Journal of Cancer P...· 0 citations
PURPOSE
Our objective was to analyze temporal trends and geographic disparities in the burden of female breast cancer from 1990 to 2021, focusing on age, period, cohort effects, and socioeconomic inequalities.
METHODS
Using data from the 2021 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study, we quantified disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and deaths. Analyses included socio-demographic index (SDI) stratification, temporal decomposition, and an age-period-cohort (APC) model to estimate net drifts. The slope index of inequality (SII) and the concentration index were determined to measure cross-country inequalities, and a Bayesian APC model was used to predict the burden in 2050.
RESULTS
From 1990 to 2021, the DALYs and deaths associated with breast cancer increased worldwide, largely because of population growth and aging. Countries with high SDI values had the highest absolute burden, especially among older women, whereas burdens increased faster among younger groups in regions with low or low-middle SDI values. APC models revealed an increased risk in postmenopausal women and period-related decreases in high SDI countries. In contrast, risks increased or plateaued in low SDI regions. Cohort analysis revealed decreasing risks in high SDI countries but increasing risks in younger cohorts elsewhere. Furthermore, inequality shifted, with greater burdens in low SDI countries. Projections indicate continued global increases, especially after 2040.
CONCLUSIONS
The global burden of female breast cancer continues to increase with marked regional and age disparities, highlighting the urgent need for region-specific interventions, such as geriatric care in high SDI areas and improved access to screening and treatment in low SDI regions.
Ke Li, Yi-Yin Zhang, Ze-Ye Liu et al.· Annals of Surgical Oncology· 0 citations
BACKGROUND
Gastric cancer imposes a heavy, geographically uneven burden across Latin America and the Caribbean. We quantified the associations of socioeconomic, biological, and behavioral factors with gastric cancer incidence and mortality across the region, examined sex-specific patterns and the projected burden to 2050.
METHODS
A cross-sectional ecological study used the country as the unit of analysis. Age-standardized incidence and mortality rates for 2022 were drawn from the Global Cancer Observatory; behavioral and dietary exposures from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 study; socioeconomic indicators from the United Nations Development Programme; health expenditure from the World Health Organization; and Helicobacter pylori prevalence from a global systematic review. Ordinary least squares models with robust standard errors were fitted by sex, with false discovery rate correction. Projections of cases and deaths to 2050 were examined.
RESULTS
The burden was geographically heterogeneous, with the highest rates in Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Cases and deaths were projected to rise 30-50% by 2050 in most countries. Educational inequality was the most consistent determinant, associated with higher mortality overall and with both incidence and mortality among women, in whom the Human Development Index and H. pylori prevalence were also relevant.
CONCLUSION
Educational inequality and H. pylori prevalence were most consistently associated with the gastric cancer burden, particularly among women.
POLICY SUMMARY
Reducing the gastric cancer burden in Latin America will require policies that address educational inequality as a structural driver, alongside H. pylori screen-and-treat programs, dietary sodium reduction, and early detection in high-burden Andean countries.
Sergio González-López, Lina M. Trujillo Chacón, Edison Osorio· Journal of Cancer Policy· 0 citations
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death in this population. Understanding CVD-related death among breast cancer survivors is critical to inform policies. Previous studies calculating CVD-related death rates in this population used data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Wide-ranging ONline Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) with the general US female population as the denominator, which may have produced misleading comparisons. For example, age-adjusted CVD-related death rates have appeared lower among women with breast cancer than in the general US female population, despite survivors facing an elevated CVD risk, understating the need for CVD-focused survivorship care. We demonstrated 2 methodologically appropriate approaches for estimating CVD-related death rates among US women with breast cancer from 1999 through 2020, using a denominator restricted to the breast cancer survivor population, derived from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) and Projected Prevalence (ProjPrev) data. We found trends in CVD-related death rates that were broadly consistent with previous studies, with an average annual percentage change of −1.8 (95% CI, −2.0 to −1.6). Our estimates were more intuitive than those from previous studies because they correctly reflected an elevated, rather than reduced, risk relative to the general population: the age-adjusted CVD-related death rate per 100 000 women with breast cancer was 1078.1 in 1999 and 733.1 in 2020. These findings suggest that our approaches can be applied to future research on cause-specific mortality among patients with cancer using CDC WONDER data. Future studies may improve generalizability and identify strategies for linking databases to generate more accessible evidence for public health decision-making.
Le Nguyen, Yan Liu, Chanhyun Park· Public health reports (1974)· 0 citations
The study indicates that skin cancer remains an important public health issue worldwide and countries and regions should attach great importance to the prevention and treatment of skin cancers, and develop and improve preventive measures.
