Burden of haematological malignancies among children, adolescents and young adults: Global and high-income region insights from the GBD 2021 study.

This study provides a comprehensive assessment of haematological malignancies among children, adolescents and young adults aged 0-24 years, using data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 across 204 countries from 1990 to 2021. We found that global incidence and prevalence remained relatively stable, with approximately 150 000 new cases and over one million prevalent cases in 2021, while mortality and disability-adjusted life year (DALY) rates declined markedly. Leukaemia was the leading contributor to incidence, deaths, and DALYs, although decreases were observed across most subtypes. Age- and sex-specific analyses revealed higher burdens in males and a pronounced peak in the <5-year group, with a secondary rise in late adolescence. High-income regions bore higher incidence and DALY burdens but exhibited lower mortality, whereas low-high social-demographic index regions suffered disproportionate lethality and disability. These findings highlight both progress and persisting inequities, underscoring the urgent need for subtype-specific interventions, earlier diagnosis and equitable treatment access to improve outcomes for young patients globally.