Global burden of alcohol-attributable laryngeal cancer: reflections on trends, risk, and research gaps

The recent study by Tong et al. provides compelling evidence on the global and regional burden of laryngeal cancer attributable to alcohol use, based on data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 study. In this Letter, we reflect on the study's key findings, its public health implications, and areas requiring further investigation. While the observed decline in age-standardized mortality rates is encouraging, significant disparities-particularly in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and parts of Southeast Asia-underscore persistent risk heterogeneity. Future research that integrates behavioral, genetic, and policy-level data will be crucial to guide targeted and equitable cancer prevention strategies.