Comparison analysis of the burden and attributable risk factors of early-onset and late-onset colorectal cancer in China from 1990 to 2019

Objectives The project intended to analyze the impact of burden and related risk factors of late-onset colorectal cancer (LOCRC) and early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC) in China, thus offering essential references for optimizing prevention and control strategies. Method Global Burden of Disease Study was employed to describe burden changes of EOCRC and LOCRC in China during 1990–2019, containing the numbers of incidence, deaths, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and to compare attributable deaths and DALYs risk factors in varying age and sex segments. Results The numbers and corresponding crude rates of incidence, deaths, prevalence, and DALYs of EOCRC and LOCRC in China during 1990–2019 demonstrated an upward trend across all age categories, with males being dramatically predominant. Overall, over time, the impact of a low-calcium diet and a low-fiber diet on mortality and DALY rates decreased, while the impact of other risk factors increased. In terms of gender, the risk factors affecting males changed greatly, with smoking, inadequate milk intake, and the low whole-grain diet being the main factors in 2019, while in 1990, the main factors were the low-calcium diet, smoking, and inadequate milk intake. Conclusion The burden of colorectal cancer in China is concerning. Patients grouped by diagnostic age exhibit different characteristics, indicating the need for high-quality research in the future to achieve personalized medicine tailored to different population characteristics.