Current and future burden of breast cancer in Asia - A GLOBOCAN data analysis for 2022 and 2050

Sep 21, 2026

Breast cancer remains a major health concern in Asia, with a rising disease burden and substantial mortality differences across countries. This study analyzes the burden of breast cancer in Asia using GLOBOCAN 2022 estimates, calculating age-standardized incidence and mortality rates per 100,000 person-years and assessing correlations with the human development index. Future cases and deaths through 2050 are estimated using global demographic projections. Results highlight large contributions from China and India and distinct patterns by age and development level.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

1. Introduction

2. Methods and materials

2.1. Data sources

2.2. Variable interpretation

3. Results

4. Discussion

5. Conclusion

The Breast 79 (2025) 103835 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect The Breast journal [homepage:](homepage: www.journals.elsevier.com/the-breast)[ www.journals.elsevier.com/the-breast](homepage: www.journals.elsevier.com/the-breast) | Current and future burden of breast cancer in Asia: A GLOBOCAN data analysis for 2022 and 2050 | | | | --- | --- | --- | | Mengxia Fu a,1, Zhiming Pengb,1, Min Wu a, Dapeng Lva, Yanping Lia, Shuzhen Lyua,*
a Galactophore Department, Galactophore Center, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
b Department of Orthopedics, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China | | | | A R T I C L E I N F O
Keywords: Breast cancer Asia Prediction Incidence Mortality | A B S T R A C T
Background: Breast cancer remains a significant health concern in Asia. This study seeks to analyze the burden of breast cancer in Asia based on the most recent GLOBOCAN 2022 estimates.
Methods: Data were obtained from GLOBOCAN 2022. Age-standardized rates for incidence and mortality per 100,000 person-years were calculated using direct age standardization with the Segi-Doll World standard population. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was utilized to evaluate the relationship between human development index and incidence or mortality rate. The future number of breast cancer cases and deaths by 2050 was estimated based on global demographic projections.
Results: In 2022, breast cancer accounted for 2296.8 thousand new cases and 666.1 thousand deaths worldwide. In Asia, an estimated 985.4 thousand new cases and 315.1 thousand deaths were reported, corresponding to agestandardized incidence and mortality rates of 34.3 and 10.5 per 100,000, respectively. Both incidence and mortality rates were notably higher among older individuals, especially in countries with high human development index. A positive correlation between human development index and incidence rates was observed, while mortality rates were highest in countries with low human development index. China and India are the leading contributors to both new cases and deaths, with projections indicating that by 2050, around 1.4 million new breast cancer cases and 0.5 million deaths are expected to occur in Asia.
Conclusion: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Asia. Global collaboration is essential to reduce its growing burden, especially in low-HDI countries facing rising incidence and high mortality rates. | | 1. Introduction Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer in women, with 1 in 8 cancer diagnoses. In 2022, there were 2.31 million new cases worldwide, making up 11.6 % of all cancers. It is also the leading cause of cancer death in women, responsible for 0.67 million deaths, or 6.9 % of all cancer deaths [1,2]. Nearly half of BC cases occur in Asia [3], where the disease burden is rising [4]. Asia, home to about 60 % of the global population, has a higher BC mortality-to-incidence ratio than Western countries [5]. Mortality rates are especially high in low- and middle-income Asian countries; while 5-year survival rates exceed 90 % in Japan and South Korea [6,7], they are only 66 % in India [8]. This disparity reflects complex cultural, social, and economic challenges across the region. BC poses major policy issues, as intensive treatments lead to significant productivity losses and out-of-pocket costs [9]. Understanding BC epidemiology and trends in Asia is essential to developing effective, country-specific strategies. Studying the epidemiological trends of BC in Asia is particularly significant because BC is highly preventable through primary or secondary prevention strategies. Most of the risk factors can be addressed through health education and public health programs in clinical practice. However, research on the latest BC incidence and mortality rates across Asia remains limited. Most recen

FAQs

What data source is used to estimate the current breast cancer burden in Asia?

The study extracts new breast cancer cases and deaths from the GLOBOCAN 2022 database across 185 countries or territories.

How are incidence and mortality rates calculated and standardized?

Age-standardized incidence and mortality rates per 100,000 person-years are calculated using direct age standardization with the Segi-Doll World standard population.

How is the future burden of breast cancer projected to 2050?

The future number of breast cancer cases and deaths by 2050 is estimated based on global demographic projections.

Sep 21, 2026

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