Rising Incidence of Early-Onset Liver Cancer and Intrahepatic Bile Duct Cancer: Analysis of the National Childhood Cancer Registry Database.

Background/

Objectives

Early-onset cancer is an emerging global health concern, including in the United States. However, data on early-onset liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer remain limited. This study aims to fill this gap by analyzing trends in early-onset liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer in the United States over the past two decades.

Methods

This study used National Childhood Cancer Registry data to examine temporal trends in early-onset liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer in the United States. The analysis involved estimating age-adjusted incidence rates of early-onset liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer, stratified by histological type, ethnicity, and sex.

Results

In 2021, the age-adjusted incidence rate of early-onset liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer was estimated at 0.53 per 100,000 population (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.48-0.59). From 2001 to 2021, the age-adjusted incidence rate showed a significant annual percent change (APC) of 1.35% (95% CI: 0.87-1.83%). When stratified by sex, the age-adjusted incidence rate in females increased significantly (APC: 3.07%, 95% CI: 2.26-3.87%) while remaining stable in males. Among racial and ethnic groups, non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) individuals had the highest age-adjusted incidence rate, recorded at 2.67 per 100,000 population (95% CI: 0.95-5.85). By histological type, hepatic carcinoma had the highest age-adjusted incidence rate, significantly increasing over time (APC: 1.47%, 95% CI: 0.96-1.99%). In contrast, the incidence rates for hepatoblastoma and unspecified hepatic tumors remained stable between 2001 and 2021.

Conclusions

Our study identified an increasing incidence of early-onset liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer in the United States, primarily driven by cases in females and hepatic carcinoma.