Search

This article presents global cancer statistics by world region for the year 2022 based on updated estimates from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). There were close to 20 million new cases of cancer in the year 2022 (including nonmelanoma skin cancers [NMSCs]) alongside 9.7 million deaths from cancer (including NMSC). The estimates suggest that approximately one in five men or women develop cancer in a lifetime, whereas around one in nine men and one in 12 women die from it. Lung cancer was the most frequently diagnosed cancer in 2022, responsible for almost 2.5 million new cases, or one in eight cancers worldwide (12.4% of all cancers globally), followed by cancers of the female breast (11.6%), colorectum (9.6%), prostate (7.3%), and stomach (4.9%). Lung cancer was also the leading cause of cancer death, with an estimated 1.8 million deaths (18.7%), followed by colorectal (9.3%), liver (7.8%), female breast (6.9%), and stomach (6.8%) cancers. Breast cancer and lung cancer were the most frequent cancers in women and men, respectively (both cases and deaths). Incidence rates (including NMSC) varied from four‐fold to five‐fold across world regions, from over 500 in Australia/New Zealand (507.9 per 100,000) to under 100 in Western Africa (97.1 per 100,000) among men, and from over 400 in Australia/New Zealand (410.5 per 100,000) to close to 100 in South‐Central Asia (103.3 per 100,000) among women. The authors examine the geographic variability across 20 world regions for the 10 leading cancer types, discussing recent trends, the underlying determinants, and the prospects for global cancer prevention and control. With demographics‐based predictions indicating that the number of new cases of cancer will reach 35 million by 2050, investments in prevention, including the targeting of key risk factors for cancer (including smoking, overweight and obesity, and infection), could avert millions of future cancer diagnoses and save many lives worldwide, bringing huge economic as well as societal dividends to countries over the forthcoming decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to compare the prevalence of sarcopenia according to the old and new Asian Working Group on Sarcopenia (AWGS) operational criteria and explore the effects of sarcopenia on adverse outcomes in older adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods: A total of 386 patients with T2D aged ≥ 60 years were recruited in retrospective cohort study. Sarcopenia was assessed with different versions of the AWGS consensus, including the AWGS2014, AWGS2019H (muscle mass adjusted for height), and AWGS2019B (muscle mass adjusted for body mass index). The median follow-up period was 47 months. The composite primary endpoint was the first occurrence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), fragility fracture, and all-cause mortality and the secondary outcomes included the three separate components of the primary outcome. Results: In this study, the prevalence of sarcopenia under different criteria was significantly different, with AWGS2019H having the highest prevalence of 31.3%. The agreement among sarcopenia criteria was unsatisfactory. By Cox regression analysis, all three AWGS definitions of sarcopenia were associated with the composite outcome of all-cause mortality, fracture and CVD (hazard ratio [HR], 2.69 vs. HR, 2.63; vs. HR, 2.23; model 3). Further exploratory analysis, sarcopenia defined by the AWGS2019H criteria was an independent risk factor for death, incident CVD, and fractures. While AWGS2014 criteria was an increased risk factor of death and CVD. The AWGS2019B criteria were only associated with incident fractures. Conclusion: All three AWGS definitions of sarcopenia were associated the composite primary endpoint. Additionally, the AWGS2019H criteria may be a better independent risk factor for negative health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite remarkable progress in the improvement of child survival between 1990 and 2015, the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 4 target of a two-thirds reduction of under-5 mortality rate (U5MR) was not achieved globally. In this paper, we updated our annual estimates of child mortality by cause to 2000-15 to reflect on progress toward the MDG 4 and consider implications for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) target for child survival.Methods: We increased the estimation input data for causes of deaths by 43% among neonates and 23% among 1-59-month-olds, respectively. We used adequate vital registration (VR) data where available, and modelled cause-specific mortality fractions applying multinomial logistic regressions using adequate VR for low U5MR countries and verbal autopsy data for high U5MR countries. We updated the estimation to use Plasmodium falciparum parasite rate in place of malaria index in the modelling of malaria deaths; to use adjusted empirical estimates instead of modelled estimates for China; and to consider the effects of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine and rotavirus vaccine in the estimation.Findings: In 2015, among the 5·9 million under-5 deaths, 2·7 million occurred in the neonatal period. The leading under-5 causes were preterm birth complications (1·055 million [95% uncertainty range (UR) 0·935-1·179]), pneumonia (0·921 million [0·812 -1·117]), and intrapartum-related events (0·691 million [0·598 -0·778]). In the two MDG regions with the most under-5 deaths, the leading cause was pneumonia in sub-Saharan Africa and preterm birth complications in southern Asia. Reductions in mortality rates for pneumonia, diarrhoea, neonatal intrapartum-related events, malaria, and measles were responsible for 61% of the total reduction of 35 per 1000 livebirths in U5MR in 2000-15. Stratified by U5MR, pneumonia was the leading cause in countries with very high U5MR. Preterm birth complications and pneumonia were both important in high, medium high, and medium child mortality countries; whereas congenital abnormalities was the most important cause in countries with low and very low U5MR.Interpretation: In the SDG era, countries are advised to prioritise child survival policy and programmes based on their child cause-of-death composition. Continued and enhanced efforts to scale up proven life-saving interventions are needed to achieve the SDG child survival target.Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, WHO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Kidney diseases are viewed as continuously progressing diseases from microalbuminuria and chronic kidney disease (CKD), to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and its mortality including deaths. The report on the association between prolonged sitting and kidney diseases is limited. Methods: We examined a cohort of 455,506 participants in a screening program in Taiwan conducted between 1996 and 2017. Data on occupational sedentary behavior and physical activity were collected with a standardized questionnaire. The outcomes of ESRD and death were identified by linking with the Catastrophic Illness Dataset and Cause of Death Data. The association between prolonged sitting and CKD, the incidence of ESRD, and death were assessed using logistic regression models to compute odds ratios (ORs) and Cox proportional hazards models for hazard ratios (HRs). Results: More than half of the participants, i.e., 265,948 (58.4%), were categorized as "prolonged sitting" during their work. During a median of 13 years of follow-up, we identified 2227 individuals undergoing dialysis and 25,671 deaths. Prolonged occupational sitting was significantly associated with a higher risk of CKD (OR: 1.26, 95% confidence interval: 1.21, 1.31), ESRD (HR: 1.19, 95% CI 1.03, 1.38), and kidney-specific mortality (HR: 1.43, 95% CI 1.07, 1.91) compared to mostly standing participants after controlling for physical activity and other risk factors. Inactive prolonged sitting carries a significantly higher risk of ESRD than physically active mostly standing participants (HR: 1.34, 95% CI 1.04, 1.73). However, active prolonged sitting decreased the risk of ESRD (HR: 1.03, 95% CI 0.79, 1.34) compared to inactive prolonged sitting. Conclusion: The results suggest that prolonged occupational sitting is associated with a greater risk of the spectrum of kidney disease, proteinuria, CKD, dialysis (ESRD), and mortality for all causes and kidney diseases. Physical activity, even at a minimal level of 15 min/day (90 min/week) of moderate-intensity exercise, was associated with a reduction in these risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypertension and cancer are two of the leading global causes of death. Hypertension, known as chronic high blood pressure, affects approximately 45% of the American population and is a growing condition in other parts of the world, particularly in Asia and Europe. On the other hand, cancer resulted in approximately 10 million deaths in 2020 worldwide. Several studies indicate a coexistence of these two conditions, specifically that hypertension, independently, is associated with an increased risk of cancer. In the present study, we conducted a meta-analysis initially to reveal the prevalence of hypertension and cancer comorbidity and then to assess which organ-specific cancers were associated with hypertension by calculating the summary relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Our analysis shows that hypertension plays a role in cancer initiation. Our extended analysis on how the hypertension-associated angiogenesis factors are linked to cancer demonstrated that matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 appear to be two key factors facilitating cancer in hypertensive patients. This work serves as an important step in the current assessment of hypertension-promoted increased risk of 19 different cancers, particularly kidney, renal cell carcinoma, breast, colorectal, endometrial, and bladder. These findings provide new insight into how to treat and prevent cancer in hypertensive patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Childhood cancers are a significant cause of child deaths worldwide. This study examines the burden of 33 childhood cancers in 183 countries. Methods: The estimates of age‐, sex‐ and country‐wise incidence and deaths due to 33 childhood cancers (below the age 15) for 183 countries were retrieved from GLOBOCAN 2018. The socioeconomic status of a country was measured by human development index (HDI). Results: Globally, an estimated 200 166 cases and 74 956 deaths were attributed to childhood cancers in 2018. The age‐standardised incidence rate (ASIR) was 103 per million, whereas the age‐standardised mortality rate (ASMR) stood at 38 per million. ASIR was highest in high‐income regions (e.g. North America: 182 per million); ASMR, however, was elevated in low‐ and medium‐income countries (e.g. south‐east Asia: 62 per million; North Africa: 51 per million). Leukaemia and brain cancers were dominant cancer groups accounting for 45% of cases and 57% of deaths. The ASIRs exhibited a positive gradient with HDI (R2=0.46). Conclusion: The high burden of childhood cancers (>80% of total incidence) in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs) calls for increased cancer awareness, improvement in oncologic infrastructure, international collaborations and twinning programmes, equitable access to multi‐modal treatment and financial coverage of treatment expenses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite reductions over the past 2 decades, childhood mortality remains high in low- and middle-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. In these settings, children often die at home, without contact with the health system, and are neither accounted for, nor attributed with a cause of death. In addition, when cause of death determinations occur, they often use nonspecific methods. Consequently, findings from models currently utilized to build national and global estimates of causes of death are associated with substantial uncertainty. Higher-quality data would enable stakeholders to effectively target interventions for the leading causes of childhood mortality, a critical component to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by eliminating preventable perinatal and childhood deaths. The Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) Network tracks the causes of under-5 mortality and stillbirths at sites in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia through comprehensive mortality surveillance, utilizing minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS), postmortem laboratory and pathology testing, verbal autopsy, and clinical and demographic data. CHAMPS sites have established facility- and community-based mortality notification systems, which aim to report potentially eligible deaths, defined as under-5 deaths and stillbirths within a defined catchment area, within 24–36 hours so that MITS can be conducted quickly after death. Where MITS has been conducted, a final cause of death is determined by an expert review panel. Data on cause of death will be provided to local, national, and global stakeholders to inform strategies to reduce perinatal and childhood mortality in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The AMANHI mortality study aims to use harmonized methods, across eleven sites in eight countries in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, to estimate the burden, timing and causes of maternal, fetal and neonatal deaths. It will generate data to help advance the science of cause of death (COD) assignment in developing country settings.Methods: This population-based, cohort study is being conducted in the eleven sites where approximately 2 million women of reproductive age are under surveillance to identify and follow-up pregnancies through to six weeks postpartum. All sites are implementing uniform protocols. Verbal autopsies (VAs) are conducted for deaths of pregnant women, newborns or stillbirths to confirm deaths, ascertain timing and collect data on the circumstances around the death to help assign causes. Physicians from the sites are selected and trained to use International Classification of Diseases (ICD) principles to assign CODs from a limited list of programmatically-relevant causes. Where the cause cannot be determined from the VA, physicians assign that option. Every physician who is trained to assign causes of deaths from any of the study countries is tested and accredited before they start COD assignment in AMANHI.Importance Of the Amanhi Mortality Study: It is one of the first to generate improved estimates of burden, timing and causes of maternal, fetal and neonatal deaths from empirical data systematically collected in a large prospective cohort of women of reproductive age. AMANHI makes a substantial contribution to global knowledge to inform policies, interventions and investment decisions to reduce these deaths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Immigrants to Norway from South Asia and Former Yugoslavia have high levels of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Yet, the incidence of CVD among immigrants in Norway has never been studied. Our aim was to study the burden of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and stroke among ethnic groups in Norway.Methods: We studied the whole Norwegian population (n = 2,637,057) aged 35-64 years during 1994-2009. The Cardiovascular Disease in Norway (CVDNOR) project provided information about all AMI and stroke hospital stays for this period, as well as deaths outside hospital through linkage to the Cause of Death Registry. The direct standardization method was used to estimate age standardized AMI and stroke event rates for immigrants and ethnic Norwegians. Rate ratios (RR) with ethnic Norwegians as reference were calculated using Poisson regression.Results: The highest risk of AMI was seen in South Asians (men RR = 2.27; 95 % CI 2.08-2.49; women RR = 2.10; 95 % CI 1.76-2.51) while the lowest was seen in East Asians (RR = 0.38 in both men (95 % CI 0.25-0.58) and women (95 % CI 0.18-0.79)). Immigrants from Former Yugoslavia and Central Asia also had increased risk of AMI compared to ethnic Norwegians. South Asians had increased risk of stroke (men RR = 1.26; 95 % CI 1.10-1.44; women RR = 1.58; 95 % CI 1.32-1.90), as did men from Former Yugoslavia, Sub-Saharan Africa and women from Southeast Asia.Conclusions: Preventive measures should be aimed at reducing the excess numbers of CVD among immigrants from South Asia and Former Yugoslavia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many factors of trauma care have changed in the last decades. This review investigated the effect of these changes on global all-cause and cause-specific mortality in polytrauma patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Moreover, changes in trauma mechanism over time and differences between continents were analyzed. Main body: A systematic review of literature on all-cause mortality in polytrauma patients admitted to ICU was conducted. All-cause and cause-specific mortality rates were extracted as well as trauma mechanism of each patient. Poisson regression analysis was used to model time trends in all-cause and cause-specific mortality. Thirty studies, which reported mortality rates for 82,272 patients, were included and showed a decrease of 1.8% (95% CI 1.6–2.0%) in all-cause mortality per year since 1966. The relative contribution of brain injury-related death has increased over the years, whereas the relative contribution of death due to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), acute respiratory distress syndrome, and sepsis decreased. MODS was the most common cause of death in North America, and brain-related death was the most common in Asia, South America, and Europe. Penetrating trauma was most often reported in North America and Asia. Conclusions: All-cause mortality in polytrauma patients admitted to the ICU has decreased over the last decades. A shift from MODS to brain-related death was observed. Geographical differences in cause-specific mortality were present, which may provide region-specific learning possibilities resulting in improvement of global trauma care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In South Asia, where most stillbirths and neonatal deaths occur, much remains unknown about the causes of these deaths. About one-third of neonatal deaths are attributed to prematurity, yet the specific conditions which cause these deaths are often unclear as is the etiology of stillbirths. In low-resource settings, most women are not routinely tested for infections and autopsy is rare. Methods: This prospective, cohort study will be conducted in hospitals in Davengere, India and Karachi, Pakistan. All women who deliver either a stillbirth or a preterm birth at one of the hospitals will be eligible for enrollment. With consent, the participant and, when applicable, her offspring, will be followed to 28-days post-delivery. A series of research tests will be conducted to determine infection and presence of other conditions which may contribute to the death. In addition, all routine clinical investigations will be documented. For both stillbirths and preterm neonates who die ≤ 28 days, with consent, a standard autopsy as well as minimally invasive tissue sampling will be conducted. Finally, an expert panel will review all available data for stillbirths and neonatal deaths to determine the primary and contributing causes of death using pre-specified guidance. Conclusion: This will be among the first studies to prospectively obtain detailed information on causes of stillbirth and preterm neonatal death in low-resource settings in Asia. Determining the primary causes of death will be important to inform strategies most likely to reduce the high mortality rates in South Asia. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03438110) Clinical Trial Registry of India (CTRI/2018/03/012281). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]