Epidemiology and socioeconomic correlates of gastric cancer in Asia: results from the GLOBOCAN 2020 data and projections from 2020 to 2040

Gastric cancer represents a major public health burden globally, with a disproportionately high incidence and mortality observed in Asian countries. To analyze the epidemiology of gastric cancer across Asia using data from the GLOBOCAN 2020 database and explore the potential correlations with socioeconomic indicators. The study reported numbers of cases, 5-year prevalence, crude and age-standardized rates of incidence (ASIR) and mortality (ASMR), mortality-to-incidence ratio (MIR), and cumulative risk percentages. Asia had the highest ASIR and ASMR of gastric cancer in the world in 2020, with 14.30 and 10.00 per 100,000 population, respectively. The ASIRs were 20.40 and 8.70 in Asian males and females, respectively. The ASMRs were also 14.20 and 6.20 in males and females, respectively. The incidence and mortality rates increased with age and peaked in the > 70-year age group. There was a moderate inverse correlation between MIR and human development index (HDI). The incident cases of gastric cancer and its mortality numbers in Asia are estimated to increase by 72.20% and 75.90% by 2040, respectively. Gastric cancer burden varies across Asia, with high incidence and mortality rates in Eastern Asia. Lower MIRs in socioeconomically developed nations suggest the impact of early detection and treatment access to improve patients' outcomes.