Cancer Burden and Cancer Screening Strategies in Asia

The escalating burden of lung, breast, and gastric cancers across Asia presents a pressing public health challenge, compounded by the region’s vast socioeconomic diversity, unique epidemiological patterns, and disparities in healthcare access. Lung cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality, driven by tobacco use, environmental pollutants, and a rising incidence of non-smoking-related adenocarcinoma in East Asia. Breast cancer incidence continues to surge, with a younger age at onset and aggressive subtypes disproportionately affecting Asian populations. Meanwhile, gastric cancer persists as a major threat, particularly in high-incidence regions such as East Asia, where Helicobacter pylori infection and dietary factors contribute to its prevalence. Despite advancements in screening and treatment, late-stage diagnoses and fragmented healthcare systems hinder progress.

A critical priority is the establishment of region-specific risk stratification frameworks that account for Asia’s genetic, environmental, and lifestyle heterogeneity. For lung cancer, this includes refining criteria beyond Western-centric, smoking-based models to incorporate air pollution exposure, genetic susceptibility (e.g., EGFR mutations), and gender-specific trends. In gastric cancer, integrating H. pylori eradication programs with endoscopic surveillance for high-risk subgroups could reduce mortality, while breast cancer screening must address younger populations through tailored imaging protocols (e.g., ultrasound adjuncts for dense breasts) and polygenic risk scores adapted to Asian genetic profiles. Machine learning algorithms trained on Asian cohorts are emerging as powerful tools for predicting individualized cancer risks, yet their real-world implementation requires validation across diverse subpopulations.

Equally vital is the design of cost-effective, scalable screening models that align with Asia’s resource gradients. For example, low-dose CT screening for lung cancer faces barriers in rural areas due to infrastructure costs, spurring innovations such as mobile screening units or AI-assisted nodule detection to prioritize high-risk individuals. In gastric cancer, non-invasive biomarker panels (e.g., serum pepsinogen and miRNA signatures) could complement endoscopy in resource-limited settings, while breast cancer screening programs must balance the limitations of mammography in younger women with emerging technologies such as abbreviated MRI or risk-based stratification to optimize utilization.

Health economic evaluations are indispensable for guiding policy decisions in Asia’s healthcare landscapes. Cost-benefit analyses of population-wide H. pylori screening for gastric cancer prevention, budget-impact studies of liquid biopsy for early detection of lung cancer, and affordability assessments of genetic testing for breast cancer risk prediction are urgently needed. Additionally, implementation science must address systemic barriers, such as cultural stigma around cancer screening or workforce shortages, through community-engaged strategies and task-shifting models.

This Research Topic focuses on transforming cancer control in Asia by advancing precision risk stratification, optimizing screening model development, and integrating health economic evaluations to ensure equitable, cost-effective interventions. We invite submissions of Original Research, Review, Mini Review, Case Report, and Perspective Articles that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:
● Genomic and environmental drivers of lung, breast, and gastric cancers in Asian populations.
● AI-driven risk prediction tools validated in Asian cohorts for personalized screening.
● Innovative screening delivery models, including telehealth and decentralized diagnostics.
● Economic analyses of screening and prevention strategies across income settings.
● Policy frameworks to integrate precision prevention into national cancer control plans.


Please note: Manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics, computational analysis, or predictions of public databases which are not accompanied by validation (independent clinical or patient cohort, or biological validation in vitro or in vivo, which are not based on public databases) are not suitable for publication in this journal.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: lung cancer, gastric cancer, breast cancer, cancer burden, cancer screening

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.