Statistics at a Glance

At a Glance

Estimated New Cases in 2023 41,210

% of All New Cancer Cases 2.1%

Estimated Deaths in 2023 29,380

% of All Cancer Deaths 4.8%

5-Year
Relative Survival

21.6% 2013–2019
Year Rate of New Cases — SEER 8 Rate of New Cases — SEER 12 Death Rate — U.S. 5-Year Relative Survival — SEER 8
Observed Modeled Trend Observed Modeled Trend Observed Modeled Trend Observed Modeled Trend
1975 2.61 2.60 - - 2.81 2.77 2.63% 1.81%
1976 2.64 2.63 - - 2.75 2.78 4.34% 1.93%
1977 2.63 2.67 - - 2.78 2.78 3.61% 2.05%
1978 2.75 2.71 - - 2.74 2.79 3.12% 2.18%
1979 2.79 2.75 - - 2.82 2.79 3.02% 2.32%
1980 2.65 2.79 - - 2.78 2.80 3.17% 2.46%
1981 2.96 2.83 - - 2.87 2.85 2.14% 2.61%
1982 2.88 2.87 - - 2.94 2.91 4.96% 2.76%
1983 2.85 2.91 - - 2.92 2.96 5.21% 2.92%
1984 2.91 2.96 - - 3.02 3.02 4.48% 3.09%
1985 3.04 3.00 - - 3.11 3.08 6.30% 3.26%
1986 3.14 3.15 - - 3.15 3.14 5.49% 3.44%
1987 3.30 3.31 - - 3.20 3.20 5.92% 3.63%
1988 3.43 3.47 - - 3.30 3.33 6.25% 3.82%
1989 3.63 3.64 - - 3.44 3.45 3.48% 4.02%
1990 3.83 3.83 - - 3.61 3.59 4.56% 4.23%
1991 4.26 4.02 - - 3.69 3.72 6.53% 4.45%
1992 4.07 4.22 4.56 4.80 3.91 3.86 6.05% 4.67%
1993 4.55 4.43 4.88 4.97 4.04 4.01 4.21% 4.90%
1994 4.54 4.65 4.95 5.14 4.13 4.16 6.89% 5.54%
1995 4.59 4.88 5.26 5.32 4.36 4.32 6.00% 6.24%
1996 5.46 5.12 5.84 5.51 4.44 4.49 8.60% 6.98%
1997 5.36 5.38 5.80 5.71 4.50 4.51 8.17% 7.78%
1998 5.48 5.64 6.11 5.91 4.59 4.53 9.48% 8.64%
1999 5.76 5.61 6.46 6.11 4.52 4.56 10.78% 9.54%
2000 5.51 5.57 6.19 6.33 4.64 4.66 11.79% 10.50%
2001 5.56 5.53 6.50 6.55 4.72 4.76 13.09% 11.51%
2002 5.81 5.83 6.67 6.78 4.88 4.87 14.49% 12.57%
2003 6.14 6.15 6.66 7.02 5.02 4.98 16.02% 13.68%
2004 6.37 6.49 7.10 7.27 5.13 5.09 15.22% 14.84%
2005 6.95 6.84 7.72 7.52 5.27 5.21 16.94% 16.04%
2006 7.27 7.22 7.82 7.78 5.30 5.32 17.71% 17.28%
2007 7.50 7.61 8.29 8.06 5.37 5.44 19.05% 18.56%
2008 7.69 7.81 8.36 8.34 5.57 5.56 19.49% 19.27%
2009 8.11 8.02 8.86 8.63 5.78 5.75 17.48% 19.99%
2010 8.28 8.24 8.92 8.94 5.91 5.94 19.69% 20.72%
2011 8.62 8.46 9.13 9.25 6.13 6.14 20.46% 21.46%
2012 8.68 8.68 9.30 9.58 6.34 6.35 18.44% 22.20%
2013 8.91 8.91 9.32 9.47 6.48 6.43 21.27% 22.96%
2014 9.02 9.15 9.32 9.36 6.49 6.52 23.63% 23.73%
2015 9.36 9.39 9.59 9.26 6.61 6.60 26.83% 24.50%
2016 9.13 9.13 9.23 9.16 6.67 6.69 - 25.28%
2017 9.10 8.87 9.22 9.06 6.65 6.65 - 26.06%
2018 8.37 8.62 8.64 8.95 6.65 6.61 - 26.85%
2019 8.44 8.38 8.86 8.86 6.57 6.57 - 27.65%
2020 7.57 - 7.78 - 6.51 6.53 - 28.46%

New cases come from SEER 12. Deaths come from U.S. Mortality.
All Races, Both Sexes. Rates are Age-Adjusted.
Modeled trend lines were calculated from the underlying rates using the Joinpoint Trend Analysis Software.
The 2020 incidence rate is displayed but not used in the fit of the trend line(s). Impact of COVID on SEER Cancer Incidence 2020 data

New cases are also referred to as incident cases in other publications. Rates of new cases are also referred to as incidence rates.


Rate of New Cases and Deaths per 100,000: The rate of new cases of liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer was 9.3 per 100,000 men and women per year. The death rate was 6.6 per 100,000 men and women per year. These rates are age-adjusted and based on 2016–2020 cases and deaths.

Lifetime Risk of Developing Cancer: Approximately 1.1 percent of men and women will be diagnosed with liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer at some point during their lifetime, based on 2017–2019 data.

Prevalence of This Cancer: In 2020, there were an estimated 105,765 people living with liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer in the United States.

Did You Know? Video Series

Survival Statistics

How Many People Survive 5 Years Or More after Being Diagnosed with Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct Cancer?

Relative survival is an estimate of the percentage of patients who would be expected to survive the effects of their cancer. It excludes the risk of dying from other causes. Because survival statistics are based on large groups of people, they cannot be used to predict exactly what will happen to an individual patient. No two patients are entirely alike, and treatment and responses to treatment can vary greatly.

21.6%

5-Year
Relative Survival

21.6%

Based on data from SEER 22 (Excluding IL/MA) 2013–2019. Gray figures represent those who have died from liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer. Green figures represent those who have survived 5 years or more.

Survival by Stage

Cancer stage at diagnosis, which refers to extent of a cancer in the body, determines treatment options and has a strong influence on the length of survival. In general, if the cancer is found only in the part of the body where it started it is localized (sometimes referred to as stage 1). If it has spread to a different part of the body, the stage is regional or distant. The earlier liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer is caught, the better chance a person has of surviving five years after being diagnosed. For liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer, 42.2% are diagnosed at the local stage. The 5-year relative survival for localized liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer is 37.3%.

Percent of Cases & 5-Year Relative Survival by Stage at Diagnosis: Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct Cancer
Stage Percent of Cases 5-Year Relative Survival
Localized
Confined to Primary Site
42% 37.3%
Regional
Spread to Regional Lymph Nodes
26% 14.3%
Distant
Cancer Has Metastasized
19% 3.5%
Unknown
Unstaged
12% 10.5%

SEER 22 (Excluding IL/MA) 2013–2019, All Races, Both Sexes by SEER Combined Summary Stage

New Cases and Deaths

How Common Is This Cancer?

Compared to other cancers, liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer is relatively rare.

Rank Common Types of Cancer Estimated New
Cases 2023
Estimated
Deaths 2023
1. Breast Cancer (Female) 297,790 43,170
2. Prostate Cancer 288,300 34,700
3. Lung and Bronchus Cancer 238,340 127,070
4. Colorectal Cancer 153,020 52,550
5. Melanoma of the Skin 97,610 7,990
6. Bladder Cancer 82,290 16,710
7. Kidney and Renal Pelvis Cancer 81,800 14,890
8. Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma 80,550 20,180
9. Uterine Cancer 66,200 13,030
10. Pancreatic Cancer 64,050 50,550
- - -
13. Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct Cancer 41,210 29,380

Liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer represents 2.1% of all new cancer cases in the U.S.

2.1%

In 2023, it is estimated that there will be 41,210 new cases of liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer and an estimated 29,380 people will die of this disease.

Who Gets This Cancer?

Liver cancer is more common in men than women, and among Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian/Alaska Native populations. The rate of new cases of liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer was 9.3 per 100,000 men and women per year based on 2016–2020 cases, age-adjusted.

Rate of New Cases per 100,000 Persons by Race/Ethnicity & Sex: Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct Cancer
Males
All Races 14.1
Hispanic 21.7
Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native 26.8
Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander 18.2
Non-Hispanic Black 17.2
Non-Hispanic White 11.2
Females
All Races 5.2
Hispanic 9.0
Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native 11.5
Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander 6.6
Non-Hispanic Black 5.5
Non-Hispanic White 4.1

SEER 22 2016–2020, Age-Adjusted

Percent of New Cases by Age Group: Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct Cancer
Age Range Percent of New Cases
<20 0.7%
20–34 0.7%
35–44 1.7%
45–54 7.9%
55–64 31.6%
65–74 33.7%
75–84 17.2%
>84 6.5%

Liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer is most frequently diagnosed among people aged 65–74.

Median Age
At Diagnosis

66

SEER 22 2016–2020, All Races, Both Sexes

Who Dies From This Cancer?

Liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer is the sixth leading cause of cancer death in the United States. The death rate was 6.6 per 100,000 men and women per year based on 2016–2020 deaths, age-adjusted.

Death Rate per 100,000 Persons by Race/Ethnicity & Sex: Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct Cancer
Males
All Races 9.6
Hispanic 13.1
Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native 17.3
Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander 12.5
Non-Hispanic Black 12.9
Non-Hispanic White 8.4
Females
All Races 4.1
Hispanic 6.0
Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native 8.2
Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander 5.1
Non-Hispanic Black 4.8
Non-Hispanic White 3.6

U.S. 2016–2020, Age-Adjusted

Percent of Deaths by Age Group: Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct Cancer
Age Range Percent of Deaths
<20 0.2%
20–34 0.4%
35–44 1.2%
45–54 6.0%
55–64 27.1%
65–74 32.8%
75–84 21.8%
>84 10.4%

The percent of liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer deaths is highest among people aged 65–74.

Median Age
At Death

69

U.S. 2016–2020, All Races, Both Sexes

Trends in Rates

Changes Over Time

Keeping track of new cases, deaths, and survival over time (trends) can help scientists understand whether progress is being made and where additional research is needed to address challenges, such as improving screening or finding better treatments.

Using statistical models for analysis, age-adjusted rates for new liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer cases have been stable over 2010–2019. Age-adjusted death rates have been rising on average 0.7% each year over 2011–2020. 5-year relative survival trends are shown below.

Interactive Statistics with SEER*Explorer

With SEER*Explorer, you can...
  • Create custom graphs and tables
  • Download data and images
  • Share links to results

SEER*Explorer is an interactive website that provides easy access to a wide range of SEER cancer statistics. It provides detailed statistics for a cancer site by gender, race, calendar year, age, and for a selected number of cancer sites, by stage and histology.

Explore Additional Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct Cancer Statistics

More About This Cancer

Cancer and the Liver

Figure: Liver Anatomy

Figure: Anatomy of the liver; drawing shows the right and left front lobes of the liver, bile ducts, gallbladder, stomach, spleen, pancreas, colon, and small intestine. The two back lobes of the liver are not shown.

The liver is one of the largest organs in the body. It has four lobes and fills the upper right side of the abdomen inside the rib cage. The liver has many important functions, including:

  • Filtering harmful substances from the blood so they can be passed from the body in stools and urine.
  • Making bile to help digest fats from food.
  • Storing glycogen (sugar), which the body uses for energy.

This summary refers to primary liver cancer (cancer that begins in the liver). Treatment of metastatic liver cancer, which is cancer that begins in other parts of the body and spreads to the liver, is not included in these statistics.

Additional Information

More Information

Here are some resources for learning more about liver cancer.

References

All statistics in this report are based on statistics from SEER and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. Most can be found within SEER*Explorer.

Suggested Citation

All material in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.

SEER Cancer Stat Facts: Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct Cancer. National Cancer Institute. Bethesda, MD, https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/livibd.html

These stat facts focus on population statistics that are based on the U.S. population. Because these statistics are based on large groups of people, they cannot be used to predict exactly what will happen to an individual patient. To see tailored statistics, browse SEER*Explorer. To see statistics for a specific state, go to the State Cancer Profiles.

The statistics presented in these stat facts are based on the most recent data available, most of which can be found in SEER*Explorer. In some cases, different year spans may be used.

Estimates of new cases and deaths for 2023 are projections made by the American Cancer Society (ACS), based on earlier reported data.

Cancer is a complex topic. There is a wide range of information available. These stat facts do not address causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, follow-up care, or decision making, although links are provided to information in many of these areas.