Global burden and inequality of childhood kidney cancer (1990-2050): a systematic analysis for the global burden of disease study 2021.

PURPOSE: Childhood kidney cancer is one of the most common pediatric malignancies without comprehensive assessments of its global burden. We aimed to quantify the global burden from 1990 to 2021 and project trends to 2050.

METHODS

Data on incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for childhood kidney cancer were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. Temporal trends were analyzed using Joinpoint regression. Spearman's rank correlation was used to evaluate the association between disease burden and the sociodemographic index (SDI). Future burden trends were predicted with a Bayesian age-period-cohort (BAPC) model.

RESULTS

In 2021, there were 9576 global incident cases of childhood kidney cancer, resulting in 3,063 deaths and 268,049 DALYs. From 1990 to 2021, global burden of childhood kidney cancer declined overall. However, substantial disparities persisted across regions and SDI levels. Low-SDI regions experienced disproportionately poorer prognosis, while children under five years and boys bore the greatest burden. Projections indicate continued declines in global burden through 2050.

CONCLUSION

Despite overall declines in the global burden of childhood kidney cancer, substantial disparities persist across sociodemographic contexts. These findings emphasize the importance of improving early diagnosis, access to standardized treatment, and delivery of pediatric oncology care in high-burden settings.