[Analysis of the trend and spatial clustering of esophageal cancer mortality in Shandong Province from 1970 to 2021].

<b>Objective:</b> To describe the distribution characteristics and trends of mortality and spatial aggregation of esophageal cancer in Shandong Province from 1970 to 2021. <b>Methods:</b> The mortality data of esophageal cancer were obtained from the death registration system of Shandong Province and three national all-cause mortality retrospective surveys. The crude mortality rate (CMR) and age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR, the Segi's world standard population) were used to describe the mortality of esophageal cancer. Mortality differential decomposition was applied to quantify the contributions of demographic and non-demographic factors. The death levels of esophageal cancer in different counties (cities and districts) in Shandong Province from 1970 to 1974 and 2020 to 2021 were visualized by the ArcGIS 10.8 software, and global and local autocorrelation analyses were conducted by using the GeoDa 1.12 software. <b>Results:</b> The CMR of esophageal cancer in Shandong Province increased first and then decreased from 1970 to 2021. The CMR of esophageal cancer decreased from 17.59/100 000 in the period of 1970-1974 to 14.32/100 000 in the period of 2020-2021. The ASMR of esophageal cancer decreased from 20.04/100 000 in the period of 1970-1974 to 6.53/100 000 in the period of 2020-2021. Compared with the period of 1970-1974, both demographic and non-demographic factors contributed to the increase in esophageal cancer mortality rate from 1990 to 1992. However, demographic factors continued to contribute to the increase in esophageal cancer mortality rate from 2004 to 2005, 2011 to 2013, and 2020 to 2021, while non-demographic factors contributed to the continuous decrease in esophageal cancer mortality rate. The global autocorrelation analysis results showed that the Moran's <i>I</i> index of ASMR of esophageal cancer in each county (city, district) of Shandong Province from 1970 to 1974 and from 2020 to 2021 were 0.67 and 0.57, respectively. Local autocorrelation analysis showed that there were 19 and 13 areas of high-high clustering of esophageal cancer in the periods of 1970-1974 and 2020-2021, respectively, with 12 overlapping counties (cities, districts). <b>Conclusion:</b> From 1970 to 2021, the CMR of esophageal cancer increases first and then decreases, while the ASMR of esophageal cancer gradually decreases in Shandong Province. The distribution of esophageal cancer mortality has significant spatial aggregation and changes over time.