Disease burden and cause-eliminated life expectancy of digestive system cancers in southern China: a cross-sectional study originated from population-based cancer registration data in Guangdong Province.

[BACKGROUND] To analyze the epidemiological characteristics and disease burden of digestive system cancer in Guangdong in 2019, and to provide evidence for prevention and treatment of digestive system cancer.

[METHODS] Both incidence and mortality data of the five digestive system cancers (esophageal cancer, stomach cancer, colorectal cancer, liver cancer and pancreatic cancer ) used in calculations originated from the cancer registration system of Guangdong Province. Crude incidence rate, mortality rate, age-standardized incidence and mortality rate, 35–64 year-old truncated incidence and mortality rate, 0–64 year-old cumulative incidence and mortality rate, disability adjusted life years (DALY), and cause-eliminated life expectancy were used to estimate the disease burden due to digestive system cancers in Guangdong province in this study. The life expectancy and the cause-eliminated life expectancy were calculated using an abridged life table method in this study. The standard population adopted in this study was the Segi’s world standard population.

[RESULTS] In 2019, the crude incidence rates and crude mortality rates of digestive system cancers were 82.30/100,000 and 56.53/100,000 respectively in Guangdong Province. The age-standardized incidence rates and age-standardized mortality rates were 59.61/100,000 and 37.27/100,000, respectively. The total DALY and DALY rate of digestive system cancers in Guangdong Province were 1,681,089 person-years and 1,459.42/100,000. After eliminating causes of death from digestive system cancers, the life expectancy increased by 0.83 years, from 84.10 years to 84.93 years in Guangdong Province. In the disease burden of digestive system cancer, the disease burden is higher in males than in females and higher in rural areas compared to urban areas. Among these, colorectal cancer has the highest incidence, liver cancer exhibited the highest mortality, disease burden, and the most significant impact on life expectancy.

[CONCLUSIONS] Digestive system cancers exhibited a heavy disease burden in Guangdong Province. There were discernible gender and regional disparities in the incidence, mortality, and disease burden associated with five digestive system cancers. Liver cancer and colorectal cancer emerged as the predominant malignancies contributing to the disease burden in Guangdong Province. The vast majority of DALYs were due to YLL, indicating the need to focus resources on disease prevention and early detection. Guangdong Province should implement targeted interventions against modifiable risk factors for colorectal and liver cancers among high-risk populations and in high-incidence regions, thereby reducing the disease burden in the future.

[SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION] The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-025-25783-6.