Global burden and trends of common head and neck cancers between 1990 and 2021: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

BACKGROUND: The burden of head and neck cancers (HNC) is a significant global health challenge, necessitating a comprehensive analysis of incidence and mortality trends. This study aimed to estimate the lastest disease burden and change trends of HNC in 2021 and examine trends from 1990 to 2021 using the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2021. METHODS: We comprehensively focused on all HNC in GBD, including lip and oral cavity cancer (LOC), nasopharynx cancer (NPC), other pharynx cancer (OPC), and larynx cancer (LC), estimating incidence, prevalence, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and mortality rates, including age-standardized rates (ASR) and 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) on global, regional, and national levels. RESULTS: Our results revealed that, in 2021, there were approximately 0.91 million new cases of HNC globally, representing significant increases from 1990, with specific increases in LOC (142.18%), NPC (55.89%), OPC (163.17%), and LC (60.48%). Additionally, around 0.5 million deaths were attributed to HNC. Notably, age-standardized incidence of nasopharyngeal cancer is increasing from 1990 to 2019, but decreasing from 2019 to 2021. Age-standardized mortality for LOC have declined among men but are rising among women between 1990 and 2021 (male: -6.61%, female: 7.95%). The burden of these HNC predominantly affected middle-aged and older populations. As the socio-demographic index rises, the incidence of LOC and OPC displayed a J-shaped relationship, but nasopharyngeal cancer, revealed a downward trend. CONCLUSIONS: The global burden of HNC grew steadily from 1990 to 2021, the variation in incidence and mortality rates across regions highlights the need for tailored prevention and treatment strategies to address the changing HNC landscape.