Global cancer statistics for children: Two decades of change and projections to 2050
Abstract
Abstract Reliable, contemporary estimates of the global childhood cancer burden remain scarce, particularly in the post‐coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) era. By using data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 and Global Cancer Observatory 2022 projects, the authors evaluated the childhood cancer burden at global, regional, and national levels, characterizing temporal and projected trends, and analyzed the data according to disparities by geography and socioeconomic development. From 2000 to 2021, the age‐standardized incidence rate (ASIR) and the age‐standardized mortality rate (ASMR) of childhood cancer declined overall (average annual percent change, −0.88 and −2.13, respectively), especially during the COVID‐19 pandemic. During this period, the disparities in childhood cancer burden were mainly concentrated in countries/territories with a lower Sociodemographic Index. In 2022, an estimated 202,164 new cases and 77,182 deaths from childhood cancer occurred worldwide (ASIR and ASMR, 10.3 and 3.9 per 100,000 children, respectively). Countries/territories with higher a Human Development Index (HDI) had a higher incidence (ASIR, 8.0 [low HDI] vs. 15.3 [very high HDI] per 100,000), whereas those with a lower HDI had higher mortality (ASMR, 4.4 [low HDI] vs. 2.8 [very high HDI] per 100,000). Analyses indicated that, by 2050, there will be 204,925 projected new cases and 78,210 deaths globally, with increases only in low HDI countries/territories, exacerbating existing health inequities. Childhood cancer remains a global health challenge, with notable geographic and socioeconomic disparities. These data serve as the impetus for governments and policymakers to prioritize resources and equitable access to interventions, particularly in regions with lower levels of development, while addressing health care vulnerabilities exposed by global crises like the COVID‐19 pandemic.
Article Details
Authors (30)
Wangzhong Li
Department of Radiation Oncology The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University Guangzhou China
Shanzhou Huang
Department of General Surgery Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences Southern Medical University Guangzhou China
Qiyue Chen
Department of Gastric Surgery Fujian Medical University Union Hospital Fuzhou China
Ting Wang
Department of Radiation Oncology The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University and Henan Cancer Hospital Zhengzhou China
Guanming Lu
Department of General Surgery Yangpu Hospital Tongji University School of Medicine Shanghai China
Xing Niu
China Medical University Shenyang China
Qiong Song
Department of Basic Science Yuan Dong International Academy of Life Sciences Hong Kong China
Yilin Xu
Department of Basic Science Yuan Dong International Academy of Life Sciences Hong Kong China
Ke Mo
Department of Basic Science Yuan Dong International Academy of Life Sciences Hong Kong China
Chunhui Cui
Department of General Surgery Zhujiang Hospital Southern Medical University Guangzhou China
Run Zhang
Department of Neuro‐Oncological Surgery Zhujiang Hospital Southern Medical University Guangzhou China
Wei Du
Department of Urological Surgery Zhujiang Hospital Southern Medical University Guangzhou China
Feiying He
School of Health Management Southern Medical University Guangzhou China
Lei Shi
School of Health Management Guangzhou Medical University Guangzhou China
Yan Lin
Department of Medical Oncology Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital Nanning China
Qiu Wei
Department of Respiratory Medicine Wuming Hospital of Guangxi Medical University Nanning China
Li Jiang
Department of Radiation Oncology The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University Nanning China
Yongsheng Chen
Department of Neurosurgery The Tenth Affiliated Hospital Southern Medical University Dongguan China
Baiyang Song
Department of Urology The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University Ningbo China
Huijuan Zhang
Department of Oncology The Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University Medical College Yantai China
Zhenli Fu
Second Department of Elderly Respiratory Medicine Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences Southern Medical University Guangdong Provincial Geriatric Institute Guangzhou China
Wenjing Liao
State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease National Center for Respiratory Medicine Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health Guangzhou China
Jiancong Sun
Department of Radiation Oncology The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University Guangzhou China
Wenhui Guan
State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease National Center for Respiratory Medicine Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health Guangzhou China
Weitao Zhuang
State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease National Center for Respiratory Medicine Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health Guangzhou China
Nanshan Zhong
State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease National Center for Respiratory Medicine Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health Guangzhou China
Chengzhi Zhou
State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease National Center for Respiratory Medicine Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health Guangzhou China
Wenhua Liang
State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease National Center for Respiratory Medicine Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health Guangzhou China
Min Kang
Department of Radiation Oncology The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University Nanning China
Jianxing He
State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease National Center for Respiratory Medicine Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health Guangzhou China