Trends and Patterns in Gastrointestinal Cancer Burden in Asia, 1990–2023: Evidence from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023

Background: Gastrointestinal cancers are among the leading causes of cancer incidence and mortality worldwide and represent a major contributor to the cancer burden in Asia. This study aims to assess the burden of six major gastrointestinal cancers in Asia from 1990 to 2023. Methods: Based on the Global Burden of Disease 2023 data, we analyzed the incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of six major gastrointestinal cancers—esophageal cancer (EC), stomach cancer (SC), colon and rectum cancer (CRC), liver cancer (LC), pancreatic cancer (PC), and gallbladder and biliary tract cancer (GBTC)—from 1990 to 2023. Results: In 2023, Asia reported about 3.23 million new gastrointestinal cancer cases and 2.26 million deaths, resulting in 55.10 million DALYs. EC had the highest burden in East Asia [age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR): 11.41 per 100,000; age-standardized death rate (ASDR): 10.88 per 100,000; age-standardized DALY rate (ASDALYR): 244.41 per 100,000], while CRC, PC, and GBTC had a high burden in the high-income Asia-Pacific region. From 1990 to 2023, EC, LC, and GBTC declined in most regions, whereas PC increased except in East Asia. The burden was generally higher in males; however, in South Asia, females had higher ASIR (3.35 per 100,000), ASDR (3.44 per 100,000), and ASDALYR (82.94 per 100,000) for GBTC than males. Conclusions: The burden of gastrointestinal cancer in Asia is heavy and unevenly distributed; in the future, more targeted regional prevention and control strategies should be implemented based on socioeconomic levels and the characteristics of the disease spectrum.