Epidemiological trends of women's cancers from 1990 to 2019 at the global, regional, and national levels: a population-based study

Abstract

Background: Every year around the world, more than 2 million women are diagnosed with breast cancer and genital tract cancers. However, there are rare studies comprehensively describing the global and regional trends of incidence and mortality of women's cancers.

Methods: To study the burden and trend of women's cancers, we conducted this cross-sectional study based on the epidemiologic data of Global Burden of Disease 2019. In this study, female patients with breast cancer, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, and uterine cancer worldwide from 1990 to 2019 were involved. The incidence, death, and disability-adjusted life-year (DALY) were used to measure the outcomes of women's cancers. The estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) was calculated to assess the changing trend of cancer burden.

Results: Among the four women's cancers, the burden of female breast cancer was highest. During the past 30 years, the incidence, death, and DALY of female breast cancer kept increasing worldwide. In most regions especially developing countries, cervical cancer was the second most common women's cancer. At the same time, ovarian cancer and uterine cancer occurred less frequently. Generally, the age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRs) of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and uterine cancer were positively correlated to sociodemographic index (SDI) value. In contrast, the ASIR of cervical cancer was negatively correlated to SDI value.

Conclusions: Our study indicates that the incidence and mortality of women's cancers have geographical variations and change along with SDI value. The results might be helpful to policy-makers to allocate healthy resources to control women's cancers.

Keywords: Breast cancer; Cancer epidemiology; Cervical cancer; Gynecological cancer; Ovarian cancer; Uterine cancer.

Fig. 1

The changing trend of the burden of women’s cancers from 1990 to 2019. a The changing trends of incidence, death, and DALYs. b The changing trends of ASIR, ASDR, and age-standardized DALY rate. Note: DALY, disability adjusted life year; ASIR, Age-standardized incidence rate; ASDR, Age-standardized death rate

Fig. 2

The burden of breast cancer in 204 countries or territories in 2019. a The incidence of breast cancer in 204 countries or territories; b The death of breast cancer in 204 countries or territories; c The DALYs of breast cancer in 204 countries or territories. Note: DALY, disability adjusted life year

Fig. 3

The burden of cervical cancer in 204 countries or territories in 2019. a The incidence of breast cancer in 204 countries or territories; b The death of cervical cancer in 204 countries or territories; c The DALYs of cervical cancer in 204 countries or territories. Note: DALY, disability adjusted life year

Fig. 4

The burden of ovarian cancer in 204 countries or territories in 2019. a The incidence of ovarian cancer in 204 countries or territories; b The death of ovarian cancer in 204 countries or territories; c The DALYs of ovarian cancer in 204 countries or territories. Note: DALY, disability adjusted life year

Fig. 5

The burden of uterine cancer in 204 countries or territories in 2019. a The incidence of uterine cancer in 204 countries or territories; b The death of uterine cancer in 204 countries or territories; c The DALYs of uterine cancer in 204 countries or territories. Note: DALY, disability adjusted life year

Fig. 6

The correlation analyses of age-standardized rates and SDI from 1990 to 2019. The correlations between ASIR/ASDR/age-standardized DALY rate and SDI were analyzed based the data of 21 regions. Note: ASIR, Age-standardized incidence rate; ASDR, Age-standardized death rate; DALY, disability adjusted life year