Early-Onset Gastrointestinal Cancers and Metabolic Risk Factors: Global Trends From the Global Burden of Disease...

To explore the increasing incidence of gastrointestinal (GI) cancers and related risk factors in younger patients.

We used data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 to assess the incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for early-onset (age 15 to 49 years) GI cancers, including mortality and DALYs from diabetes mellitus and high body mass index.

In 2021, there were approximately 499,800 incident cases, 285,900 deaths, and 14.01 million DALYs from early-onset GI cancer. Early-onset GI cancer accounted for 9.51% of the incidence and 7.73% of the mortality of the overall GI cancer. From 2000 to 2021, age-standardized incidence rates increased for early-onset colorectal cancer (annual percent change, 0.84%; 95% CI, 0.71% to 0.97%) and biliary tract cancer (annual percent change, 0.19%; 95% CI, 0.06% to 0.32%). In 2021, there were 20,860 deaths from early-onset GI cancer attributable to metabolic risk factors. The age-standardized death rates of early-onset GI cancer from metabolic risk factors increased in all types of early-onset GI cancer.

Our research highlights a significant increase in early-onset GI cancer, emphasizing the need for a strategy that includes controlling risk factors, particularly metabolic risk factors, adoption of effective screening methods, and effective cancer management.