Importance Nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) is a strikingly age-specific and region-specific malignancy whose disproportionate and changing burden among younger people in the Western Pacific Region (WPR) has yet to be comprehensively quantified. Objective This study aimed to evaluate the burden and trends of NPC in individuals under 55 years in the WPR from 1990 to 2021 and project future trends up to 2035. Design Population-based study. Population Individuals under 55 years in the WPR, as part of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021, spanning from 1990 to 2021. Main Outcome Measures Age-standardized rates of incidence, mortality, prevalence, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and average annual percentage change (AAPC) of nasopharyngeal cancer among people younger than 55 analyzed by regions and countries in the WPR from 1990 to 2021. Results Between 1990 and 2021, the age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) and age-standardized DALY rate (ASDLR) of NPC in individuals under 55 years in the WPR significantly decreased (all P < .001), whereas the age-standardized prevalence rate (ASPR) increased ( P < .001). The NPC burden increased with age, peaking in the 50 to 54 age group, and was higher in males. Singapore exhibited the highest age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) but low ASMR and ASDLR and China showed a decline in the ASIR and the ASMR, though the ASPR increased (all P < .001). Aging and population growth contributed to the rising NPC burden in the region. From 2022 to 2035, the ASIR is projected to rise to 2.85 per 100,000 AAPC 95% CI = 2.04% (1.97%, 2.09%), P < .001, and the ASPR is expected to increase to 18.54 per 100,000 AAPC 95% CI = 2.36% (2.24%, 2.44%), P < .001. Conclusion The growing NPC burden among young populations in the WPR underscores the need for countries to adopt effective prevention strategies based on the experiences of peers with similar demographic profiles.
Zhou et al. (Thu,) studied this question.