Global epidemiology of gastric cancer in 2022 and projections for 2050: A comprehensive analysis and forecasts based on GLOBOCAN data

Background Gastric cancer (GC) has greatly damaged the health of patients, and the burden exhibits substantial heterogeneity across diverse regions globally. This study aimed to analyze the burden of GC globally according to the latest estimates of GLOBOCAN 2022, with the hope of providing a reference for healthcare interventions. Methods This study utilized the data from GLOBOCAN 2022 to examine the incidence and mortality of GC globally, stratified by gender (males/females) and age (young group (15–39), middle-aged group (40–64), and elderly group (65–85+)). Finally, starting from the baseline year of 2022, the numbers of new cases and deaths globally by 2050 were predicted. Results In 2022, it was projected that 968,194 individuals were diagnosed with GC on a global scale, and 659,944 succumbed to the disease. Interestingly, in the young age group, the difference in disease burden between males and females was not very obvious, while in the middle-aged and elderly groups, the number of new cases and deaths among male patients was almost twice that among female patients. Moreover, the disease burden in the elderly group was more severe. Ultimately, in comparison to 2022, it is anticipated that by 2050, due to population growth and aging, the count of new GC cases will escalate by roughly 264% among elderly males, 268.3% among elderly females, and the count of deaths will surge by 275.3% among elderly males, 279.2% among elderly females. Conclusion The GC burden was more severe in elderly males and showed regional differences to some extent. This provided a new direction for subsequent research on GC and the formulation of cancer prevention and control strategies.