The global, regional, and national burden of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and its attributable risk factors in 204 countries and territories, 1990–2019

Abstract

Background

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is uncommon in most areas of the world but poses a significant public health burden in endemic regions.

Objectives

We provide an overview of the most recent global epidemiology of nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC).

Methods

We estimated the burden of NPC in 204 countries and territories by age, sex, and Socio-Demographic Index (SDI) from 1990 to 2019.

Results

At the GBD regional level, the most severe age-standardized incidence in 2019 occurred in East Asia. From 1990 to 2019, the East Asia and High-income Asia Pacific had the greatest increase in percentage in age-standardized incidence. Central Asia and the Caribbean had the greatest increase in percentage in age-standardized disability-adjusted life-years (DALY) and death rates. At the national level, Cabo Verde, Romania, and the Cyprus reported the largest percentage increases in the age-standardized incidence. Cabo Verde, Romania, and Jamaica reported the largest increases in the age-standardized DALY and death rates.

Conclusions

The global age-standardized incidence of NPC increased globally between 1990 and 2019, especially in the East Asia.

Chinese abstract

背景：鼻咽癌 (NPC) 在世界大部分地区并不常见, 但在其流行地区却成为公共卫生的重大负担。

目的：我们提供了最近全球鼻咽癌 (NPC) 流行病学的概况。

方法：我们按年龄、性别和社会人口学指数（SDI）评估了 204 个国家和地区 1990 年至 2019 年的 NPC 公共卫生负担。

结果：在 GBD 区域层面, 2019 年最严重的年龄标准化发病率发生在东亚。从 1990 年到 2019 年, 东亚和高收入亚太地区的年龄标准化发病率的百分比增幅最大。中亚和加勒比地区年龄标准化残疾调整生命年（DALY）和死亡率的百分比增幅最大。在国家

层面上, 佛得角、罗马尼亚和塞浦路斯报告的年龄标准化发病率增幅最大。佛得角、罗马尼亚和牙买加报告的年龄标准化 DALY 和死亡率增幅最大。

结论：1990 年至2019年间, 全球 NPC 年龄标准化发病率增加, 尤其是在东亚。

Keywords:

• Global Burden of Diseases
• incidence
• DALY
• death
• risk
• nasopharyngeal carcinom

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the reviewers for their insightful comments and valuable suggestions.

Institutional review board statement

The Medical Ethics Committee at Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital reviewed and approved this study (KY2021PJ229).

Informed consent statement

The study complied with the Declaration of Helsinki, informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Data on the burden of NPC came from an online database, the Global Health Data Exchange (GHDx) query tool (http://ghdx.healthdata.org/gbd-results-tool).

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by Ningbo medical and health brand discipline [No. PPXK2018-02]; Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China [LY19H160014; LQ21H130001]; Ningbo "Technology Innovation 2025" Major Special Project [2020Z097]; Medical and Health Research Project of Zhejiang Province [2019ZD018; 2021KY307]; Ningbo Natural Science Foundation [202003N4239]; and Public welfare projects of Ningbo technology [No. 2021S171].