Burden of bladder cancer in China from 1990 to 2023: temporal trends, modifiable risk factors, and implications for...

Bladder cancer (BC) is one of the leading causes of cancer death in China. This study analyzed the long-term trends in the disease burden of BC in China from 1990 to 2023, the attributable burden of modifiable risk factors, and conducted a stratified analysis by gender and age.

Based on China data from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2023, age-standardized rates and absolute numbers of indicators, such as incidence and mortality of BC were extracted. The Joinpoint regression model was used to calculate the average annual percentage change (AAPC) of indicators for different populations and age groups.

In 2023, there were 105,632 new cases and 44,729 deaths of BC in China. Compared with 1990, the absolute numbers of incidence and mortality both increased, while the age-standardized mortality and incidence rates showed a decreasing trend, and the prevalence rate slightly rose. Males and individuals aged ≥ 75 years bore the highest disease burden; among the GBD-reported risk factors, smoking contributed the largest attributable burden, and high fasting plasma glucose(FPG) also contributed a measurable burden, with the age-standardized disease burden attributable to them showing a downward trend.

Although the age-standardized incidence, mortality, and DALY rates of BC in China have declined, the absolute burden has increased and remains concentrated among older males. These findings support prioritizing evidence-based primary prevention, especially tobacco control and reduction of carcinogen exposure, while improving risk-adapted awareness and timely diagnostic evaluation in high-burden populations.