Increasing incidence and mortality of primary intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in the United States

Clinical observations suggest a recent increase in intrahepatic biliary tra ct malignancies, Thus, our aim was to determine recent trends in the epidem iology of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in the United States, Reported da ta from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program and the United States Vital Statistics databases were analyzed to determine the incidence, mortality, and survival rates of primary intrahepatic cholangio carcinoma. Between 1973 and 1997, the incidence and mortality rates from in trahepatic cholangiocarcinoma markedly increased, with an estimated annual percent change (EAPC) of 9.11% (95% CI, 7.46 to 10.78) and 9.44% (95%, CI 8 .46 to 10.41), respectively. The age-adjusted mortality rate per 100,000 pe rsons for whites increased from 0.14 for the period 1975-1979 to 0.65 for t he period 1993-1997, and that for blacks increased from 0.15 to 0.58 over t he same period, The increase in mortality was similar across all age groups above age 45, The relative 1- and 2-year survival rates following diagnosi s from 1989 to 1996 were 24.5% and 12.8%, respectively, In conclusion, ther e has been a marked increase in the incidence and mortality from intrahepat ic cholangiocarcinoma in the United States in recent years. This tumor cont inues to be associated with a poor prognosis.