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Causes of medication errors in community pharmacies: A meta-ethnography and systematic review
Introduction Medication errors are a leading cause of patient harm and account for thousands of deaths and injuries annually. While medication safety efforts have primarily targeted hospital settings, community pharmacies are also prone to such errors due to their high patient access and utilisation. This review utilised a meta-ethnographic qualitative approach to synthesise findings from available primary qualitative research about the causes of medication safety issues and errors in community pharmacies as well as the contributing factors. Materials and methods This meta-ethnographic systematic review was conducted in line with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and the meta-ethnography reporting guidance (eMERGe) and framework and registered on PROSPERO. Eligible studies were identified using a comprehensive search strategy across multiple databases and grey literature sources, without language or date restrictions. Qualitative data were synthesised using Noblit and Hare’s seven-phase meta-ethnographic approach, generating third-order constructs that captured underlying causes of medication errors in community pharmacies. Confidence in the findings was assessed using the GRADE-CERQual framework. Results Thirteen studies were included in the review with the majority from the United States and England. Most studies (n = 10) used qualitative research designs while two studies utilised a mixed-methods approach. Through meta-ethnographic synthesis, five third-order constructs (themes) were developed to represent the factors contributing to medication errors in community pharmacies. These themes included: 1) pharmacist-related factors, 2) the environment within the pharmacy 3) management and financial related factors 4) organisational and social environment within the pharmacy and 5) challenges with digital technologies. Conclusions This meta-ethnographic systematic review identified five themes contributing to medication errors in community pharmacies. The review findings offer valuable insight for guiding the design of future tailored safety initiatives. Understanding the complex interplay between these contributing factors is essential for enhancing medication safety and informing future research and practice in real-life community pharmacy settings.
Experience implementing a sporotrichosis surveillance and control program in free-roaming cats on a university campus
Sporotrichosis is an emerging zoonosis with growing impact in Brazil’s urban areas, aggravated by the absence of effective public health policies and standardized surveillance protocols, especially for free-roaming cats. This study evaluated the implementation of a surveillance and control protocol for sporotrichosis in an urban area with high densities of community cats and frequent abandonment, including animals testing positive for the disease. A retrospective, descriptive, observational study was conducted at the Pampulha Campus, UFMG, Belo Horizonte, from January 2020 to February 2025. The protocol comprised systematic monitoring, laboratory and clinical diagnostics, treatment, epidemiological surveillance, and mandatory reporting. Animals were categorized as community or abandoned. Of the 23 suspected cats included in the analysis, 52.2% were confirmed, with 50.0% of positives originating from abandoned animals. One suspected dog was also recorded in the surveillance dataset during the same period but was not included in the feline analyses. Statistical associations were found between animal origin, reproductive status, treatment location, treatment duration, and outcomes. Abandoned cats, mainly unneutered males with multiple lesions, required approximately twice the treatment time of community cats and posed greater logistical and financial challenges. In contrast, neutered community cats with fixed feeding points and committed caregivers presented shorter treatment durations and feasible in situ therapy. As a complementary strategy, Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) after clinical recovery was essential to reduce intra-colony transmission. The findings highlight that effective control of feline sporotrichosis depends on continuous and integrated actions aligned with the One Health approach. Individualized treatment, combined with population management and community involvement, offers an ethical and sustainable alternative to euthanasia for free-roaming cats.
Verification of historical sketches via one-class learning on compact feature representations
Historical sketch authentication is challenging because securely attributed reference sets are often small, and stylistic evidence is carried primarily by line, texture, tonal variation, and mark-making. We present a reproducible framework for verifying historical sketches using artist-specific one-class autoencoders trained on compact handcrafted feature representations. Ten artist models were trained using authenticated sketches from six open-access cultural heritage collections. Each drawing was represented by five interpretable descriptors, namely, Fourier-domain energy, Shannon entropy, global contrast, Grey-Level Co-occurrence Matrix homogeneity, and box-counting fractal complexity. The system was evaluated using a biometric-style verification protocol in which each artist model was tested on genuine held-out works and impostor works by other artists. On the primary evaluation partition of 900 decisions, comprising 90 genuine and 810 impostor trials, the method achieved 87.6% balanced accuracy, 77.8% True Acceptance Rate, 2.6% False Acceptance Rate, 0.748 Matthews Correlation Coefficient, and 11.4% Equal Error Rate. Performance remained stable across 20 repeated random train/test splits. The proposed model also outperformed Gaussian and one-class SVM baselines, while pretrained ResNet50 and EfficientNet-V2 feature representations performed substantially worse in this data-scarce setting. Leave-one-feature-out ablation confirmed that all five descriptors contributed positively, with fractal complexity and GLCM homogeneity providing the strongest individual contributions. Error analysis revealed structured false-accept pathways to be consistent with stylistic proximity between artists. The framework provides transparent, reproducible, and interpretable quantitative evidence for historical sketch verification. It is intended to support, not replace, expert connoisseurship in attribution settings where available reference corpora are limited.
A thalamus–brainstem attractor network drives history-biased decisions
Microbiome analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimens from immunocompromised patients with pneumonia compared to those from healthy volunteers
Background Metagenomic sequencing of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimens is increasingly being applied for the diagnosis of lower respiratory tract infections, offering agnostic pathogen detection and a faster turnaround time. While metagenomic sequencing of BAL specimens can reveal a wide range of organisms, their clinical relevance is often unclear because of the challenge of distinguishing true pathogens from background taxa. This study compared the BAL microbiomes of immunocompromised patients with pneumonia to those of healthy volunteers, with the aim of assisting clinical interpretation of metagenomics-based approaches for diagnosing pneumonia in this patient population. Methods BAL specimens from healthy control volunteers (n = 20) were collected during a COVID-19 vaccine trial, while residual BAL specimens from immunocompromised patients (n = 52) were obtained from the Hamilton Regional Laboratory Medicine Program (HRLMP) after standard culture and PCR testing. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing was performed using Nanopore technology. Reads were classified using Minimap2 in EPI2ME, and microbiome analyses were conducted using the vegan and MaAsLin2 packages in RStudio (v2026.1.1.403). Results Immunocompromised patients showed significantly lower bacterial read counts and reduced alpha diversity (p < 0.0001; Wilcoxon Rank-Sum test), along with higher inter-sample heterogeneity. In contrast, BAL samples from healthy controls exhibited a more homogeneous microbial profile dominated by anaerobic Gram-negative genera, including Prevotella, Veillonella, Selenomonas , and Fusobacterium . Beta diversity analyses using Bray–Curtis and Jaccard distance metrics demonstrated significant compositional separation between cohorts (PERMANOVA p = 0.001), with tight clustering of healthy controls and marked dispersion among immunocompromised samples. Differential abundance analysis identified 96 significantly altered species (q < 0.05), with immunocompromised patients showing depletion of anaerobic commensals and enrichment of clinically relevant pathogens, including Stenotrophomonas maltophilia , Enterococcus spp., Mycoplasma spp., and Nocardia spp. Conclusion Immunocompromised patients demonstrated a markedly disrupted and heterogeneous BAL microbiome, characterized by a loss of anaerobic commensals and an enrichment of potentially pathogenic taxa. This study provides a characterization of the dysbiotic state in immunocompromised pneumonia, offering a baseline reference for future longitudinal studies and clinical trials aimed at improving the interpretation of metagenomic findings in this patient population.
Cooperative Host–Guest Complexation in Densely Assembled Host Structures on Surfaces Revealed at the Single-Molecular Level
A machine learning–coupled APSIM model pipeline for projected oil palm yield in Surat Thani, Thailand
Accurate and timely forecasts of oil palm yield are essential for both short-term farm management and long-term adaptation planning, yet their reliability is often constrained by the coarse spatial resolution of climate datasets and structural biases in process-based crop models. To address these challenges, we developed an end-to-end modeling framework that integrates spatially refined climate information with a hybrid process–machine-learning approach. Our method employs Spatial Interactions Downscaling to convert reanalysis, seasonal forecasts, and CMIP6 climate projections into fine-scale datasets anchored to the CHELSA baseline. These downscaled drivers are then coupled with the Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator (APSIM) and a Random Forest (RF) model to correct residual errors and improve predictive accuracy. A case study in Surat Thani, Thailand, demonstrates the framework’s performance and utility. Downscaled climate variables showed strong agreement with CHELSA, with minimal bias and compact error distributions, especially for temperature. Stand-alone APSIM overestimated yields (RMSE = 15.51 t ha ⁻ ¹), whereas the APSIM + RF hybrid significantly improved accuracy (RMSE = 5.52 t ha ⁻ ¹ at observed sites; 2.74 t ha ⁻ ¹ when averaged across sites). Seasonal forecasts based on downscaled data achieved skill levels comparable to those driven by reanalysis, enabling reliable yield predictions up to eight months in advance. On centennial scales, CMIP6 projections suggest stable to slightly higher yields in the early 21st century, a modest mid-century decline, and late-century stabilization across scenarios. These results indicate that oil palm production in southern Thailand is relatively resilient to projected climate change. More broadly, the framework offers a transferable approach for integrating fine-scale climate information and hybrid modeling to improve crop forecasting, support climate-risk assessment, and inform adaptation strategies across agricultural systems.
HIV, nephrotoxic medications, and chronic kidney disease: Prevalence, risk factors, and mediation analyses among people with and without HIV enrolled in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS)/ Women’s Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) combined cohort study
Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects over 37 million adults in the United States, and people living with HIV (PLWH) are at greater risk for progression to end-stage kidney disease. Although both conditions are common among PLWH, the potential pathways through which depression and use of medications with nephrotoxic potential may influence CKD development remain underexplored. We evaluated the relationships of depression and nephrotoxic medication use with CKD prevalence among PLWH, and investigated the potential mediating effects of these factors on the pathway to CKD among PLWH. Methods We analyzed data from the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS)/Women’s Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) Combined Cohort Study (MWCCS). Baseline CKD prevalence was estimated using Visit 101 only (November 2020-September 2021). To examine associations with CKD over time, we fit generalized estimating equations (GEE) using repeated observations from Visits 101–103 (November 2020-March 30, 2023) with a Poisson distribution and log link to estimate relative risks (RR) and account for within-participant correlation. Counterfactual-based causal mediation analyses were conducted using Visit 101–103 data to evaluate whether elevated depressive symptoms (CES-D ≥ 16) or nephrotoxic medication use mediated the HIV-CKD association while adjusting for baseline confounders. Results Among 2,530 participants [1,622 PLWH and 908 people living without HIV (PLWoH)], CKD prevalence was higher in PLWH (18.1%) compared to PLWoH (9.7%). In univariate repeated-measures GEE models, HIV serostatus (RR = 1.37, 95% CI: 1.28–1.48, p < 0.0001) and Nephrotoxic medication use (RR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.30–1.71, p < 0.0001) were significantly associated with higher CKD risk. Several covariates were also associated with CKD in univariate GEE models, including age (RR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.03–1.03, p < 0.0001), non-Hispanic Black (RR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.11–1.27, p < 0.0001) compared to non-Hispanic White, diabetes (RR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.17–1.35, p < 0.0001), and higher income (RR = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.98–1.00, p = 0.005). Depressive symptoms were not associated with CKD in mediation-model adjusted analyses and did not mediate the HIV-CKD association. Mediation analysis indicated that nephrotoxic medication use accounted for a small but significant proportion of the HIV-CKD association (indirect effect OR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.00–1.03, p = 0.02). Conclusions While it is well established that PLWH have a higher prevalence of CKD compared to PLWoH, our findings suggest that nephrotoxic medication use may modestly amplify this risk. Although most of the risk appears to be attributable to the direct effects of HIV, these medications represent a modifiable contributor. PLWH receiving such treatments may benefit from closer kidney function monitoring. Future research should evaluate psychosocial contributors to CKD using designs that incorporate clinical depression diagnosis and treatment data to clarify depression-related pathways.
Prescription patterns of inhaler medications from 2017 to 2023: A retrospective study using Ontario administrative healthcare data
Background Inhalers are essential for respiratory disease management, but commonly used metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) can often be replaced, when clinically appropriate, with lower-emission alternatives such as dry powder inhalers (DPIs) or soft mist inhalers (SMIs). The COVID-19 pandemic may have influenced prescribing patterns. We aim to describe changes in inhaler prescription trends and determine whether MDI use decreased during the pandemic. Methods and findings Retrospective cohort study using Ontario’s health administrative data. Individuals aged 65 and older with new inhaler prescription instances from April 1, 2017, to March 31, 2023, were included. Monthly prescription event rates by inhaler type and socioeconomic factors were modeled for pre-pandemic (April 2017–March 2020) and pandemic (April 2020–March 2023) periods using interrupted time series and Generalized Additive Models to account for autocorrelation and seasonality. 750,517 new inhaler prescriptions were made during the study period. A significant drop was observed at the pandemic’s onset. MDIs were the predominant type of inhaler initially prescribed for both pre-pandemic ~77% and pandemic ~70% periods. The proportion of DPI initial prescriptions modestly increased from ~17% to ~23% and SMI initial prescriptions remained similar. Inhaler prescription rates did not significantly differ across sex, income quintiles, or rurality. Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted inhaler prescribing patterns in Ontario, leading to a temporary decline in new prescriptions. Despite environmental and guideline recommendations, MDIs continued to dominate prescribing practices. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to align clinical practices with current guidelines and environmental sustainability goals.
Human papillomavirus genotypes and factors associated with major cervical smear abnormalities in a sickle cell endemic area of Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Background Cervical cancer due to high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) is the leading gynecological cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where approximately one-quarter of people carries the sickle cell allele. This study aims to identify the HR-HPV genotypes and factors associated with major cervical abnormalities among women living in the sickle cell endemic area of Kisangani, DRC. Methods This hospital-based cross-sectional study consisted to a face-to-face and semi-structured questionnaire for collecting data of the socio-demographic, clinical and sexual behaviors characteristics of participants. The sickle cell status was confirmed using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Cervical smears were collected using the ThinPrep ® Pap-test solution (Hologic Inc, Marlborough, USA). The HR-HPV molecular analysis was performed using the Cobas ® 6800 system (Roche Molecular Systems, Somerville, USA) for real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and the Oxford Nanopore platform (Oxford Nanopore Technologies, Oxford, England) for the viral genome sequencing. Cytological analyses were performed using the ThinPrep 5000 processor (Hologic), and the results were reported according to the 2014 Bethesda System classification. The logistic regression model was used to estimate the adjusted Odd ratio (aOR) during the risk factor assessments. Results Among 712 women enrolled, the prevalence of HR-HPV was 28.4% (95% CI: 25.1–31.7). HPV35, HPV52 and HPV31 were the most common genotypes; while the sequencing identified two new variants of HPV103 and HPV223. The following factors were associated with HR-HPV infection: (i) age between 25 and 34 years (aOR: 2.10, 95% CI:1.22–3.69); (ii) being unmarried (aOR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.05–2.27) and (iii) HIV-positive status (aOR: 14.85, 95% CI: 2.36–288.25). No correlation was observed between hemoglobin AS (HbAS) status and HR-HPV infection or cytological abnormalities. However, women aged 45–54 years (aOR: 3.8, 95% CI: 1.34–11.65), those using intravaginal herbal (aOR: 3.59, 95% CI: 1.26–11.28) and those infected with HPV33 (aOR: 8.45, 95% CI: 1.68–34.05) were more likely to present major cervical abnormalities in our series. Conclusion Our study shows a high prevalence of cervical HR-HPV infection in Kisangani, DRC. HPV35, HPV52, and HPV31 are the three most common genotypes, while novel variants of HPV types 103 and 223 were identified. Our findings also highlight that advanced age, HPV33 infection and intravaginal herbal use are the main factors associated with major cervical abnormalities. Although HbAS has not been associated with HR-HPV infection or cervical lesions, further studies are needed to determine this association in women with sickle cell disease (HbSS).
‘Hidden hero’ peptides guard crops against sudden cold
Specialized marine exploitation on African islands: A multiproxy archaeological analysis of the Playa Chica site, Gran Canaria (11th–13th CE)
The Canary Islands, settled by Berber communities from Northwest Africa during the first millennium CE, offer a privileged window into coastal economies and early maritime adaptations that remain poorly documented on the adjacent mainland. Playa Chica ( Sardina , Gran Canaria , Canary Islands) preserves a five-phase Indigenous occupation sequence spanning from the 6 th to the 13 th centuries CE. This study aims to test the practice of specialized marine exploitation during Phase 5 (11 th –13 th centuries CE) employing a multiproxy approach. Systematic sampling and processing of sediments has provided a large assemblage dominated by molluscs and echinoids, followed by fish remains and crustaceans. Abundant fish scales indicate intensive on-site processing. The bone industry encompasses worked goat horn cores and hundreds of horn flakes interpreted as scaling tools, along with small hooks crafted from pig canines. Seed remains include crops (barley, durum wheat, fig) and smoke-prone plants used as fuels ( Euphorbia sp., rhizomes of Cyperus sp., and elements of Pinus canariensis cones), consistent with fish drying or smoking. Low-intensity, smoke-prone fuels identified through anthracological analyses, and twenty-nine hearths reinforce this interpretation. Pottery is scarce and functionally associated with cooking, while lithics are abundant and largely locally sourced. Collectively, these findings define an activity area dedicated to the processing and preservation of marine resources, suggesting integration within coastal-inland exchange networks. As one of the most extensively sampled coastal contexts in the archipelago, Playa Chica provides critical comparative data for understanding the intensification of marine economies among Northwest African-derived populations during the late Holocene.
Gene ancestries reveal diverse microbial associations during eukaryogenesis
Abstract The origin of eukaryotes remains a central enigma in biology 1 . Continuing debates agree on the pivotal role of a symbiosis between an alphaproteobacterium and an Asgard archaeon 2,3 . However, the nature, timing and contributions of other potential bacterial partners 4–6 and the role of interactions with viruses 7–9 remain contentious. To address these questions, we used advanced phylogenomic approaches and comprehensive datasets spanning the known diversity of cellular life and viruses. Our analysis provided a revised reconstruction of the last eukaryotic common ancestor (LECA) proteome, in which we traced the phylogenetic origin of each protein family. We found compelling evidence for multiple waves of horizontal gene transfer from diverse bacterial donors, with some likely to have preceded mitochondrial endosymbiosis. We inferred plausible traits of the major donors and their functional contributions to the LECA. Our findings support a contribution of horizontal gene transfers to shaping the proteomes of pre-LECA ancestors and suggest a facilitating role of Nucleocytoviricota viruses. Taken together, our results suggest that ancient eukaryotes may have originated within complex microbial ecosystems through a succession of diverse associations that left a footprint of horizontally transferred genes.
The emergence of NDM-1, IMP-7, IMP-26, IMP-62, IMP-76, VIM-4 and VIM-5 producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains, identification of a novel sequence type (ST3891) and analysis of virulence genes from a Malaysian tertiary hospital
Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a medically crucial nosocomial pathogen causing significant mortality in patients with weakened immune systems. It is sensitive to carbapenems such as meropenem and imipenem. However, recent research indicates the rise and rapid transmission of carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa (CRPA). This study analysed the phenotypic and genotypic traits linked with CRPA strains obtained from the University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), a Malaysian tertiary teaching hospital. MDR P. aeruginosa (n = 215) were isolated from the Medical Microbiology Diagnostic Laboratory (MMDL). The VITEK-2 automated system was used for antimicrobial susceptibility and data for susceptibility to various antimicrobial agents were retrieved from the MMDL database at the UMMC. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the carbapenems (meropenem and imipenem) was analysed using the broth microdilution method. Pyocyanin, protease and biofilm assays were conducted to assess the phenotypic traits. Furthermore, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect six virulence genes and three carbapenemase genes. P. aeruginosa strains that displayed high-level resistance to meropenem and imipenem showed an association with 140 strains (65.1%) that were strong biofilm producers (OD 570nm ≥ 3.0). The majority of the strains (73.5%) exhibited high to moderate pyocyanin production, while 95.3% were capable of secreting protease. Among the six virulence genes tested, most of the strains harboured the toxR (109/215, 50.7%) and algD (108/215, 50.2%) genes. The identification of carbapenem genes showed bla IMP (n = 24, 11.2%) followed by bla NDM (n = 16, 7.4%) and bla VIM (n = 4, 1.86%). A novel sequence type, ST3891 was discovered using multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The rising incidence of carbapenem-resistant strains is concerning, as carbapenems with antipseudomonal activity play a vital role in treating P. aeruginosa infections. Additionally, this study found a positive correlation between increased biofilm production and resistance to carbapenem in P. aeruginosa. This emphasises the importance of stringent infection control strategies, particularly considering the clonal dissemination of the high-risk ST235 clone and the identification of the novel ST3891 strain in Malaysia.
Characteristics of long stay home care clients’ acute care use who live with frailty in Alberta, Canada: A retrospective cohort study
Objective To describe the characteristics of long stay home care clients’ acute care use who live with frailty, and to compare associated factors for hospitalizations. Methods The cohort comprised individuals 65 to 104 years old (n=10,107) who were observed from 2015-2017. Population-based administrative data were linked by individual records, descriptive statistics were reported, and logistic regression models were run. Results Majority of clients were female (69.7%), and the largest proportion of clients were 75-84 years old. Arthritis (65.6%) and hypertension (74.5%) were most prevalent in clients who were frail. Frail clients (40.6%) had between 1-3 emergency department visits. Mean length of stay was 16.6 days for frail hospitalized clients. Being pre-frail and frail were associated factors for hospitalization. Conclusion Further research is needed to determine the risk classification of more factors, such as social characteristics that predispose home care clients with frailty to hospitalization.
Doubting Thomas
From platform carnival to official discourse: How “truth” is produced in Chinese online news
How is “truth” sustained amid algorithmic and political constraints? This study explores the process by which “truth” is negotiated and stabilized in China’s online journalism. Drawing on Actor-Network Theory (ANT) and controversy mapping, we translate three cases to illustrate how online controversies evolve from public affect to institutional closure. The findings reveal that in Chinese digital journalism, diverse human and nonhuman actors jointly participate in the construction of truth. Digital platforms such as Weibo function as obligatory passage points that mediate between public participation and state regulation. While user content amplifies emotion and scrutiny, algorithmic visibility and bureaucratic inscription serve to stabilize discourse. These interactions demonstrate that truth is not discovered but co-produced across technological, institutional, and affective domains. Consequently, Chinese online journalism can be conceptualized as a techno-cultural assemblage in which human agency, platform logic, and governmental governance are continuously negotiated in the production of news and facts.
Diverse binding poses of agonistic neurotoxins on human Nav1.6
Burden and temporal trends of female-specific cancers in China: A systematic analysis of the 2023 global burden of disease study
Background Female-specific cancers represent a substantial public health challenge in China. This study was designed to evaluate temporal trends and generate future projections of the burden associated with female-specific cancers in China from 1990 to 2023. Methods Data on incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) attributable to breast, cervical, uterine, and ovarian cancers among women in China were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2023 database. Joinpoint analysis was used to assess temporal trends, whereas decomposition analysis was applied to quantify the contributions of epidemiological changes, population growth, and ageing to changes in disease burden; a Bayesian age-period-cohort (BAPC) model was further used to project trends in disease burden over the next 15 years. Results Between 1990 and 2023, all age-standardized rates (ASRs) of female-specific cancers in China declined except for the age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) of breast cancer, which increased from 24.54 (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 19.7–30.79) per 100,000 in 1990 to 31.62 (95% UI: 25.4–38.22) per 100,000 in 2023. The absolute disease burden increased, with 342,725 (95% UI: 270,872–413,171) new breast cancer cases in 2023, representing a 187.24% increase. In contrast, the numbers of new cases of cervical, uterine, and ovarian cancers were 124,686 (95% UI: 77,638–165,722), 74,990 (95% UI: 53,630–119,885), and 38,969 (95% UI: 31,914–46,805), respectively, with corresponding increases of 43.63%, 82.97%, and 61.76%. Population aging and growth were the main contributing factors, and the BAPC model projected that the absolute disease burden of all four female-specific cancers would continue to increase in the future. Conclusion The burden of female-specific cancers in China remains substantial, underscoring the urgent need to develop targeted prevention and intervention strategies to mitigate this burden.