Global burden of non-retinoblastoma eye cancer in 204 countries and territories, 1990–2021.

Abstract

e18081 Background: Non-retinoblastoma eye (NRB) cancers include different malignancies affecting eye structures, including uveal melanoma, sebaceous gland carcinomas, ocular lymphomas, and basal and squamous cell carcinomas. Though NRB cancers are rare, they contribute significantly to cancer-related morbidity and mortality with varying survival rates depending upon the cancer type. Low-income countries in African and Asian regions contribute to higher cases, yet the long-term outcomes remain underexplored. We conducted a global burden of disease (GBD) study to highlight these disparities. Methods: Data from GBD 2021 were analyzed for 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2021. Age-standardized incidence (ASIR), prevalence (ASPR), mortality (ASMR) rates, disability-adjusted life years (DALY), years of life lost (YLL), and years lived with disability (YLD) were calculated. Average annual percent changes (AAPC) were calculated by linear regression analysis. Results: Globally, NRB cancers have shown increased ASIR (AAPC: 0.14) and ASPR (AAPC: 0.27) while the ASMR had an overall decline (AAPC: -0.72). Countries with the steepest decline include Norway (-5.33) and Greenland (-2.36). However, countries with increasing trends include Guyana (3.88), followed by Georgia (3.24). The global DALY and YLL rates declined with an AAPC of -0.54 and -0.59, respectively. Guyana (DALY: 4.14, YLL: 4.11) and Zimbabwe (DALY: 3.11, YLL: 3.14) exhibited the highest increase while Norway (DALY: -5.42, YLL: -5.55) and Costa Rica (DALY: -2.48, YLL: -2.58) recorded a decline. On the contrary, a rising trend was observed in the global YLD with an AAPC of +0.09, with Guyana (4.74) and Mauritius (3.54) demonstrating the sharpest rise while Norway (-4.40) and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (-1.57) showed improvement. Guyana consistently showed the highest while Norway had the lowest burden across all indicators (Table 1). Conclusions: Our analysis revealed that African countries experience a disproportionately high burden of disease. Policymakers should focus on equitable resource allocation, public health education, and increased access to specialized care to combat the increasing burden of NRB eye cancers among low-income countries. Global burden of non-retinoblastoma eye cancer among highest and lowest burden countries between 1990 and 2021. Outcome Global AAPC (95% CI) Guyana AAPC(95% CI) Norway AAPC (95% CI) AAPC Difference (Guyana - Norway) ASIR 0.14 (0.09 to 0.19) 4.79 (3.05 to 6.56) -4.41 (-4.89 to -3.93) 9.20 ASPR 0.27 (0.22 to 0.33) 4.95 (3.21 to 6.73) -4.35 (-4.83 to -3.86) 9.30 ASMR -0.72 (-0.78 to -0.65) 3.88 (2.18 to 5.60) -5.33 (-5.73 to -4.92) 9.20 YLL -0.59 (-0.64 to -0.53) 4.11 (2.41 to 5.84) -5.55 (-5.96 to -5.14) 9.66 DALY -0.54 (-0.59 to -0.49) 4.14 (2.44 to 5.87) -5.42 (-5.84 to -5.01) 9.56 YLD 0.09 (0.04 to 0.14) 4.74 (2.99 to 6.50) -4.40 (-4.87 to -3.93) 9.14 P < 0.05 for all AAPC values.