Biliary tract cancer statistics

Biliary tract cancers start in the cells of the gallbladder or bile duct. When cancer starts in gallbladder cells, it is called primary gallbladder cancer. When cancer starts in bile duct cells, it is called primary bile duct cancer.

It can take several years to collect and confirm cancer data, so the number of new cancer cases (incidence) and deaths (mortality) from recent years may not be available for some time. The most recent data available are provided below.

Incidence is the total number of new cases of cancer. Mortality is the number of deaths due to cancer.

For more information about cancer statistics, go to Canadian Cancer Statistics.

The most recent incidence statistics for gallbladder cancer are from 2019:

• 400 Canadians were diagnosed with gallbladder cancer.
• 140 men were diagnosed with gallbladder cancer.
• 265 women were diagnosed with gallbladder cancer.

The most recent mortality statistics for gallbladder cancer are from 2022:

• 267 Canadians died from gallbladder cancer.
• 107 men died from gallbladder cancer.
• 160 women died from gallbladder cancer.

The most recent incidence statistics for intrahepatic bile duct cancer are from 2019:

• 730 Canadians were diagnosed with intrahepatic bile duct cancer.
• 340 men were diagnosed with intrahepatic bile duct cancer.
• 390 women were diagnosed with intrahepatic bile duct cancer.

The most recent mortality statistics for intrahepatic bile duct cancer are from 2022:

• 1,567 Canadians died from intrahepatic bile duct cancer.
• 802 men died from intrahepatic bile duct cancer.
• 765 women died from intrahepatic bile duct cancer.

Statistics for extrahepatic bile duct cancer are not reported separately but are included in the general category other digestive system cancers. This broad category includes extrahepatic bile duct and similar cancers together. So the numbers do not necessarily show the new cases (incidence) and deaths (mortality) specifically for extrahepatic bile duct cancer.

The most recent incidence statistics for other digestive system cancers are from 2019:

• 1,540 Canadians were diagnosed with other digestive system cancers.
• 780 men were diagnosed with other digestive system cancers.
• 760 women were diagnosed with other digestive system cancers.

The most recent mortality statistics for other digestive system cancers are from 2022:

• 819 Canadians died from other digestive system cancers.
• 404 men died from other digestive system cancers.
• 415 women died from other digestive system cancers.