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.

Cancer statistics are currently analyzed and reported based on the sex assigned at birth, with male/men and female/women categories. We need to address gaps in how statistics are collected to better understand cancer in transgender, non-binary and gender-diverse people.

Find out more about cancer statistics.

The most recent incidence statistics for gallbladder cancer are from 2023:

• 555 people in Canada (excluding Nova Scotia) were diagnosed with gallbladder cancer.
• 205 men were diagnosed with gallbladder cancer.
• 350 women were diagnosed with gallbladder cancer.

The most recent mortality statistics for gallbladder cancer are from 2024:

• 276 people in Canada died from gallbladder cancer.
• 93 men died from gallbladder cancer.
• 183 women died from gallbladder cancer.

The most recent incidence statistics for intrahepatic bile duct cancer are from 2023:

• 1,060 people in Canada (excluding Nova Scotia) were diagnosed with intrahepatic bile duct cancer.
• 525 men were diagnosed with intrahepatic bile duct cancer.
• 540 women were diagnosed with intrahepatic bile duct cancer.

The most recent mortality statistics for intrahepatic bile duct cancer are from 2024:

• 1,779 people in Canada died from intrahepatic bile duct cancer.
• 915 men died from intrahepatic bile duct cancer.
• 864 women died from intrahepatic bile duct cancer.

Incidence 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) specifically for extrahepatic bile duct cancer. Death (mortality) statistics are available for extrahepatic bile duct cancers alone.

The most recent incidence statistics for other digestive system cancers are from 2023:

• 2,125 people in Canada (excluding Nova Scotia) were diagnosed with other digestive system cancers.
• 1,135 men were diagnosed with other digestive system cancers.
• 980 women were diagnosed with other digestive system cancers.

The most recent mortality statistics for extrahepatic bile duct cancers are from 2024:

• 61 people in Canada died from extrahepatic bile duct cancers.
• 32 men died from extrahepatic bile duct cancers.
• 29 women died from extrahepatic bile duct cancers.