GENDER AND REGIONAL DISPARITIES IN THE BURDEN OF UROLOGICAL CANCERS: INSIGHTS FROM THE GLOBAL BURDEN OF DISEASE STUDY

Abstract

Introduction. Urological cancers, particularly bladder cancer and kidney cancer, remain significant contributors to global disease burden and mortality. A substantial portion of this burden is associated with behavioral risk factors and notable gender and regional disparities in access to diagnosis and treatment. Research Aim. To conduct a comparative analysis of the epidemiological burden of bladder and kidney cancers using DALYs, YLDs, and mortality rates, with a focus on gender and regional differences based on data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study. Materials and Methods. This study utilized secondary data analysis of open-access datasets from the Global Burden of Disease Study (Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, IHME). Indicators including DALYs, YLDs, and mortality rates were assessed for Ukraine, Europe, and the United States from 2016 to 2021 across male and female populations. The analysis included two cancer types: bladder cancer (ICD-10: C67) and kidney cancer (ICD-10: C64–C65). Research Results and Discussion. In Ukraine, kidney cancer demonstrated a higher epidemiological burden than bladder cancer among both men and women, with the largest disparity observed in the female population. In the United States, YLDs were significantly higher despite relatively lower mortality rates, indicating better diagnostics and treatment effectiveness. European countries exhibited consistently high DALY and mortality rates, especially among males. Conclusions. Kidney cancer poses a greater burden on Ukraine’s healthcare system compared to bladder cancer, particularly among women. The identified gender and regional disparities highlight the need for targeted prevention strategies and improved access to quality cancer care.