Yuzhu Dai, Xinyan Liu, Hongfeng Tang
BACKGROUND: Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most common cancer type globally, with a significantly higher incidence than other types of skin cancer. However, detailed analyses of the global burden of disease and changing trends in NMSC remain scarce. METHODS: We extracted data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 to assess the incidence, prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) associated with NMSC at the global, regional, and country levels. Linear regression models were used to analyze temporal trends in the global burden of disease from 1990 to 2021. Additionally, frontier analyses were conducted to determine the minimum achievable incidence, prevalence, morbidity, mortality, and DALYs. RESULTS: In 2021, NMSC caused 56,913 deaths and resulted in a reduction of 1,212,872 DALYs globally. The age-standardized prevalence of NMSC increased from 18.42 (95% UI, 15.26-22.12) cases per 100,000 people in 1990 to 32.51 (95% UI, 28.22-37.54) cases per 100,000 people in 2021. The burden of disease increases with age. The prevalence is consistently higher in men than in women. Prevalence rates were highest in high SDI regions such as the United States, Northern Europe, and North America. Conversely, mortality rates were highest in low SDI regions, including Latin America and the Caribbean. Furthermore, countries with higher Human Development Index (HDI) scores exhibited lower age-standardized mortality rates and DALYs for NMSC. CONCLUSION: The global burden of NMSC is increasing. Effective prevention strategies and public health policies are urgently needed to reduce this burden and improve overall health outcomes.