Global Incidence, Risk Factors, and Trends of Pharyngeal Cancer by Anatomical Sites: A Systematic Analysis of Cancer Registries.

Authors

Junjie Huang, Sze Chai Chan, Wing Sze Pang, Yat Ching Fung, Shui Hang Chow, Veeleah Lok, Lin Zhang, Xu Lin, Don Eliseo Lucero-Prisno, Wanghong Xu, Zhi-Jie Zheng, Edmar Elcarte, Mellissa Withers, Claire Chenwen Zhong, Martin C S Wong, NCD Global Health Research Group, Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU)

Published in

Cancer reports (Hoboken, N.J.). Volume 9. Issue 7. Pages e70590.

Abstract

Nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal, and hypopharyngeal cancers are the three types of pharyngeal malignancies that vary in prognosis. This study aims to evaluate the global disease incidence, risk factors, and trends of pharyngeal cancer by anatomical sites.
The Global Cancer Observatory, Global Burden of Disease, and Cancer Incidence in Five Continents Plus, were accessed to investigate the disease burden and related risk factors by anatomical site. Average Annual Percentage Changes were computed using Joinpoint regression to assess trends in age-standardized rates (ASR) of incidence of pharyngeal cancer.
An estimated total of 316,020 (ASR=3.5) pharyngeal cancer cases were reported in 2020, with nasopharyngeal cancer being the most prevalent subtype (1.7), followed by oropharyngeal (1.1) and hypopharyngeal cancer (0.91). Nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal, and hypopharyngeal cancers were most common in South-Eastern Asia (ASR = 5.0), Western Europe (ASR = 2.8), and South-Central Asia (ASR = 2.1), respectively. Higher Human Development Index (HDI), smoking, alcohol drinking, unhealthy dietary habits, hypertension, and lipid disorders were associated with higher pharyngeal cancer incidence. The results indicated a declining or constant trend in hypopharyngeal and nasopharyngeal cancers and a notable rise in oropharyngeal cancer.
The incidence of pharyngeal cancer subtypes demonstrates significant geographical heterogeneity. While hypopharyngeal and nasopharyngeal cancers are declining or stable, oropharyngeal cancer is on a clear upward trajectory. Given the prolonged latency between risk factor exposure and clinical onset, the oropharyngeal cancer burden is projected to rise further.

PMID:
42455586
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 15 Jul 2026.

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