Epidemiology and socioeconomic correlates of brain and central nervous system cancers in Asia in 2020 and their projection to 2040

Brain and central nervous system (CNS) cancers constitute a heterogeneous group of cancers with poor 5-year survival rates. We aimed to report the epidemiology of brain and CNS cancers in Asia in 2020 and their projections up to 2040 by age, sex, and country, as well as their correlation with socioeconomic status. We extracted data from the 2020 Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN). Numbers, age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRs) and mortality rates (ASMRs), 5-year prevalent cases and rates, mortality-to-incidence ratios (MIRs), and crude rates were calculated. The human development index (HDI) and current healthcare expenditure (CHE)-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio were included as indicators of socioeconomic status. Additionally, the numbers of new cases and deaths were predicted from 2025 to 2040 by multiplying the anticipated population during this period by age-standardized rates. In 2020, there were 166,925 new cases of brain and CNS cancers in Asia, indicating a 5-year prevalence rate of 9.40 per 100,000. We also estimated the total ASIR, ASMR, and MIR as 3.20, 2.60, and 0.83, respectively. There were significant negative correlations between HDI and MIR (correlation coefficient: - 0.538, p value < 0.001) and significant positive correlations between CHE/GDP% and ASIR (correlation coefficient: 0.388, p value: 0.010) and ASMR (correlation coefficient: 0.373, p value: 0.014). In 2040, there will be 232,000 new cases of brain and CNS cancers and 200,000 subsequent deaths in Asia. Our study revealed higher brain and CNS cancer rates in Western Asia among males and elderly individuals. These findings can aid policymakers in enhancing cancer care and suggest the consideration of risk factors in future research.