Global burden and trend of colorectal cancer and its attributable risk factors in Latin America and Caribbean from 1990-2021: A benchmarking secondary analysis.

Abstract

e15686 Background: Colorectal Cancer (CRC) is the 2nd leading cause of death and 3rd leading cause of disability in Latin America (LA) and Caribbean. The burden of CRC in these regions reflects a complex interplay of genetic predispositions, dietary habits, lifestyle choices, and access to healthcare services. Methods: Using global burden of disease study 2021, we estimated incidence, prevalence, deaths, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) due to CRC and its attributable to risk factors by age, sex, year and location in LA and Caribbean from 1990-2021. Results: The total prevalence count of CRC increased significantly from 97,101 (95% Uncertainty Interval: 93,710–100,162) in 1990 to 535,190 (490,579–574,008) in 2021. Deaths rose from 18,912 (18,099–19,557) to 66,008 (60,058–70,657), while disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) increased from 495,299 (478,299–511,881) in 1990 to 1.6 million (1.5–1.7 million) in 2021. Regionally, the highest annual percentage change (APC) in the age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) was observed in Central Latin America (2.05%), followed by Andean Latin America (1.43%), Tropical Latin America (1.42%), and the Caribbean (1.26%) between 1990 and 2021. In terms of age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR), the highest APC was recorded in Central Latin America (0.86%), followed by Tropical Latin America (0.66%), Andean Latin America (0.46%), and the Caribbean (0.27%). Nationally, the highest increase in APC for ASIR was observed in El Salvador (2.77%), followed by Costa Rica (2.69%), Paraguay (2.32%), Mexico (2.26%), and Panama (2.15%). Similarly, the highest APC in ASMR was noted in Paraguay (1.73%), Costa Rica (1.5%), El Salvador (1.49%), and Honduras (1.34%) from 1990 to 2021. Age-wise, the highest incidence count was observed in the 65–69 age group (16,958 cases), while the highest number of deaths occurred in the 70–74 age group (8,810 deaths). The highest DALY burden was recorded in the 60–64 age group, with 225,029 DALYs in 2021. Gender-wise, males experienced a higher overall burden compared to females throughout 1990–2021. The total percentage change in incidence was 397% for males versus 309% for females, in deaths 267% for males versus 233% for females, and in DALYs 252% for males versus 218% for females. Regarding risk factors, total deaths due to CRC attributable to metabolic risk factors increased by 383%, while those linked to behavioral risk factors rose by 236% between 1990 and 2021. Conclusions: Deaths due to CRC accounted for 10.16% of all cancer related casualties in 2021. The rising global burden of CRC, with significant increases in incidence, mortality, and DALYs—particularly among older adults, males, and in high-risk regions like Latin America—highlights the urgent need for targeted prevention, early detection, and improved treatment strategies to curb its growing impact.