Areca Nut Production, Imports, and Their Impact on Oral Cancer Incidence

Approximately one-third of global lip and oral cavity cancer (LOC) cases are linked to smokeless tobacco or areca nut (AN) consumption. Over the past 32 y, AN production has significantly increased, accompanied by rising international trade. This study explores the relationship between changes in AN production/import quantities and LOC incidence in regions where consumption is prevalent. LOC incidence rates were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease and GLOBOCAN databases, while AN production and import data were sourced from the Food and Agriculture Organization Corporate Statistical Database and Hainan province’s statistical yearbook. Spearman’s correlation analysis was used to evaluated the relationship between AN production or AN imports and LOC incidence rate in AN-producing/importing regions. Descriptive statistics were used to describe…