Long-term trends of nasopharyngeal carcinoma mortality in China from 2006 to 2020 by region and sex: An age-period-cohort analysis

Abstract

Abstract Background: China has a high mortality from nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The NPC mortality trends in China from 2006 to 2020 were described and analyzed to understand its epidemiological characteristics by region and sexand to explore age, period, and cohort effects. Methods: A joinpoint regression model was used to fit the standardized NPC mortality and age-specific mortality. The age-period-cohort model was used to investigate age, period, and cohort effects on the NPC mortality risk. Results: The results showed that the NPC mortality rate in China has been declining steadily. From 2006 to 2020, the standardized NPC mortality rate in most age groups showed a significant downward trend. The annual percentage change was smaller in rural areas than in urban areas. The mortality risks of rural malesand rural females from 2016 to 2020 were 1.139 times and 1.080 times those from 2011 to 2015, respectively. The risk of NPC death in urban males born in 1984-1988 and in rural males born in 1979-1983 both showed an increasing trend. Conclusions: The strategies for preventing and treating NPC in China were effective from 2006 to 2020, but the findings indicate that people in rural areas need more targeted interventions to reduce NPC deaths.