Trend of disease burden and risk factors of breast cancer in developing countries and territories, from 1990 to 2019: Results from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Abstract

Background: The incidence, mortality, burden of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and attributable risk factors of breast cancer vary significantly by country or region, particularly between developing and developed countries. This study aimed to analyze breast cancer development trends in developing countries based on the influence of the different sociodemographic indices (SDIs) and World Bank (WB) income-level disease data from 1990 to 2019.

Methods: Data on the annual incidence, mortality, DALY, years of life lost (YLL) prematurely, years lived with disability (YLD), and age-standardized rate (ASR) of breast cancer from 1990 to 2019 in different countries and territories were obtained from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study. A comparative risk assessment (CRA) framework was used to analyze the general risk factors.

Results: The global age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) gradually increased from 21.44 per 100,000 population in 1990 to 24.17 per 100,000 population in 2019. It rose precipitously to 2.91- and 2.49-fold, respectively, for countries with middle SDIs and low-middle SDIs. The ASIR of breast cancer was increasing in the lower-middle-income levels in WB, with an estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) of 0.29 [95% uncertainty interval (UI): 0.20-0.37] and reduced income (EAPC of 0.59 [95% UI: 0.53-0.65]). The Solomon Islands and the United Arab Emirates observed the most significant increase in the magnitude of deaths from breast cancer cases. Compared to the death cases of 1990, percentage changes increased separately by 1,169 and 851%. Compared to developed areas, breast cancer-related deaths increased rapidly in developing regions, especially among the middle-aged and elderly groups. Meanwhile, the long-term burden of breast cancer was ever expanding. Of all the GBD regions, Oceania had the youngest age distribution. The deaths in the young and middle-aged groups accounted for 69% in 1990 and 72% in 2019. Percentage changes in deaths from the seven risk factors in low- to middle-SDI regions increased significantly over time across all age groups. However, a diet with high red meat and high body mass index (BMI) accounted for the most considerable increase in the magnitude.

Conclusion: Public health policy regarding breast cancer is fundamental in low- and medium-income countries. The development and adoption of cost-effective screening and therapeutic solutions, the mitigation of risk factors, and the establishment of a cancer infrastructure are essential.

Keywords: Global Burden of Disease; breast cancer; developing country; incidence; mortality; risk factors.