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. 2025 Apr 8;25(1):232.
doi: 10.1186/s12876-025-03824-z.

Burden of gastrointestinal cancers in Asia, 1990-2019

Chengwei Xia #  1 , Yini Liu #  2 , Xin Qing  3
Affiliations

Burden of gastrointestinal cancers in Asia, 1990-2019

Chengwei Xia et al. BMC Gastroenterol. .

Abstract

Objectives: Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. However, there has been no comprehensive assessment of GI cancers in Asia.

Study design: This was an epidemiological study.

Methods: The study calculated the incidence and deaths of six common GI cancers in Asia between 1990 and 2019 using data from the Global Burden of Disease study. The data are presented by sex, age, year, location, and risk factors, and are shown as counts and rates.

Results: In 2019, the age-standardized incidence rates (ASIR) for colorectal, esophageal, gallbladder and biliary tract (GBTC), liver, pancreatic, and stomach cancers were 23.88, 8.24, 2.77, 7.97, 5.41, and 19.77, respectively. The age-standardized death rates (ASDR) for colorectal, esophageal, GBTC, liver, pancreatic, and stomach cancers were 12.49, 7.73, 2.53, 7.22, 5.47, and 14.67, respectively. From 1990 to 2019, there was an increasing trend in incidence and deaths for esophageal, liver, and stomach cancer, while a decreasing trend was observed in colorectal, GBTC, and pancreatic cancer. The burden of GI cancer increased successively in older generations and was higher in males than in females. Furthermore, this burden varied significantly across Asian subregions and countries. Dietary risks, smoking, alcohol use, and high BMI contribute to GI cancer mortality.

Conclusions: GI cancers continue to be the primary contributor to the tumor burden in Asia, with increasing absolute numbers but varying age-standardized measures over the past three decades.

Keywords: Asia; Death; Gastrointestinal cancer; Global burden of disease study; Incidence.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Not applicable. Consent for publication: Not Applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The relative rank of incidence (A) and mortality (B) for gastrointestinal cancers in site-specific cancers in Asia
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Asia trends in incidence and death for gastrointestinal cancers from 1990 to 2019. A The new cases of gastrointestinal cancers from 1990 to 2019. B The number of deaths due to gastrointestinal cancers from 1990 to 2019. C ASIR and EAPC in gastrointestinal cancers over the last 30 years. D ASDR and EAPC in gastrointestinal cancers over the last 30 years. E The proportion of new cases of gastrointestinal cancers from 1990 to 2019. F The proportion of deaths of gastrointestinal cancers from 1990 to 2019. ASIR age-standardized incidence rate, ASDR age-standardized death rate, EAPC estimated annual percentage change
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Asia incidence and death of gastrointestinal cancers by age and sex. A Asia gastrointestinal cancers incidence rates by age for both sexes combined in 1990 and 2019. B Asia gastrointestinal cancers deaths by age for both sexes combined in 1990 and 2019. C The sex ratio of gastrointestinal cancers incident cases from 1990 to 2019 by specific causes. D The sex ratio of gastrointestinal cancers deaths from 1990 to 2019 by specific causes. E The ratio of male to female in Asia gastrointestinal cancers incident cases by age in 1990 and 2019. F The ratio of male to female in Asia gastrointestinal cancers deaths by age in 1990 and 2019
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
The Asia trends in gastrointestinal cancers by five subtypes and regions. (A) The ASIR of gastrointestinal cancers at a regional level in 1990 and 2019. (B) The ASDR of gastrointestinal cancers at a regional level in 1990 and 2019. (C) The EAPC in ASIR and ASDR of gastrointestinal cancers from 1990 to 2019, by subtypes and by regions, for both sexes, combined
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Temporal trends of risk factor population attributable fractions for GI cancers in Asia, 1990–2019. A Colorectal cancer; (B) Esophageal cancer; (C) Gallbladder and biliary tract cancer; (D) Liver cancer; (E) Pancreatic cancer; (F) Stomach cancer
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