Global, Regional, and National Burden of Ovarian Cancer Among Women of Reproductive Age, 1990–2021, with Projections to 2040: A Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 Analysis
5 affiliations
- 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Maternal and Child Medical Center of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, People’s Republic of China
- 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Anhui Women and Children’s Medical Center, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, People’s Republic of China
- 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230032, People’s Republic of China
- 4Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Anhui Provincial Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Children’s Medical Center of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230051, People’s Republic of China
- 5Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150081, People’s Republic of China
Abstract
Background: Ovarian cancer threatens survival and fertility among women of childbearing age. Global evidence on temporal trends, regional disparities, and future burden in this population remains limited.
Purpose: This study aimed to assess the global, regional, and national burden of ovarian cancer among women of reproductive age from 1990 to 2021 and to project trends through 2040.
Methods: Data on ovarian cancer incidence, deaths, and disability-adjusted life years among women aged 15–49 years were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 for 204 countries and territories. Temporal patterns, geographic variation, health inequalities, and drivers of burden changes were evaluated using age-standardized rates, Joinpoint regression, inequality analysis, decomposition analysis, and Bayesian age-period-cohort modeling.
Results: In 2021, ovarian cancer imposed a substantial burden on women of reproductive age worldwide. From 1990 to 2021, incident cases, deaths, and disability-adjusted life years increased markedly, whereas age-standardized rates changed more modestly and rose again after 2013. The burden was unevenly distributed, with lower-sociodemographic index regions and Central Sub-Saharan Africa bearing particularly high mortality and disability-adjusted life year burdens. At the national level, high age-standardized burdens were concentrated in countries including Pakistan and Uganda. The burden increased with age and peaked among women aged 45–49 years. Population growth was the main driver of the rising absolute burden, while epidemiological change contributed substantially in middle- and low-middle-sociodemographic index regions. Projections indicated continued increases through 2040.
Conclusion: Ovarian cancer burden increased globally among women of childbearing age. Improved case ascertainment may partly explain the post-2013 rise. Further increases are projected if current age-period-cohort patterns persist, with substantial uncertainty. These findings may inform ovarian cancer control and equitable resource allocation for women of reproductive age.
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BibTeX
@article{yang2026global,
title = {{Global, Regional, and National Burden of Ovarian Cancer Among Women of Reproductive Age, 1990–2021, with Projections to 2040: A Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 Analysis}},
author = {Xiao-Long Yang and Su-Su Yang and Jia-Ming Hou and Shun-Xia Chen and Jie-Jie Li and Li-Shuai Jiang and Xi-Ling Han and Guo Chen and Shu-Guang Zhou},
journal = {International Journal of Women's Health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.2147/ijwh.s630393},
url = {https://doi.org/10.2147/ijwh.s630393},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Global, Regional, and National Burden of Ovarian Cancer Among Women of Reproductive Age, 1990–2021, with Projections to 2040: A Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 Analysis
AU - Xiao-Long Yang
AU - Su-Su Yang
AU - Jia-Ming Hou
AU - Shun-Xia Chen
AU - Jie-Jie Li
AU - Li-Shuai Jiang
AU - Xi-Ling Han
AU - Guo Chen
AU - Shu-Guang Zhou
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/21
JO - International Journal of Women's Health
DO - 10.2147/ijwh.s630393
UR - https://doi.org/10.2147/ijwh.s630393
AB - Background: Ovarian cancer threatens survival and fertility among women of childbearing age. Global evidence on temporal trends, regional disparities, and future burden in this population remains limited. Purpose: This study aimed to assess the global, regional, and national burden of ovarian cancer among women of reproductive age from 1990 to 2021 and to project trends through 2040. Methods: Data on ovarian cancer incidence, deaths, and disability-adjusted life years among women aged 15–49 years were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 for 204 countries and territories. Temporal patterns, geographic variation, health inequalities, and drivers of burden changes were evaluated using age-standardized rates, Joinpoint regression, inequality analysis, decomposition analysis, and Bayesian age-period-cohort modeling. Results: In 2021, ovarian cancer imposed a substantial burden on women of reproductive age worldwide. From 1990 to 2021, incident cases, deaths, and disability-adjusted life years increased markedly, whereas age-standardized rates changed more modestly and rose again after 2013. The burden was unevenly distributed, with lower-sociodemographic index regions and Central Sub-Saharan Africa bearing particularly high mortality and disability-adjusted life year burdens. At the national level, high age-standardized burdens were concentrated in countries including Pakistan and Uganda. The burden increased with age and peaked among women aged 45–49 years. Population growth was the main driver of the rising absolute burden, while epidemiological change contributed substantially in middle- and low-middle-sociodemographic index regions. Projections indicated continued increases through 2040. Conclusion: Ovarian cancer burden increased globally among women of childbearing age. Improved case ascertainment may partly explain the post-2013 rise. Further increases are projected if current age-period-cohort patterns persist, with substantial uncertainty. These findings may inform ovarian cancer control and equitable resource allocation for women of reproductive age.
SN - 1179-1411
ER -