Trends and Disparities in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma-related Mortality in the United States from 1999 to 2020

Purpose: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) arises from the epithelial cells of the bile ducts present inside the liver parenchyma and is associated with an overall poor prognosis due to advanced disease stage at the time of diagnosis. We used the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) database to determine ICC-related mortality patterns in the United States from 1999 till 2020. Methods: Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) and crude mortality rates (CMR) were extracted from the CDC WONDER database. Annual percentage change (APC) was calculated using Joinpoint regression. Results: Our analysis of ICC-related deaths revealed a consistent upwards trend from 1999 to 2020 in the United States (APC: 3.59, 95% CI: 3.34 to 3.83, p < 0.05). AAMR remained higher in males (1.7, 95% CI: 1.6 to 1.7) than females in (1.3, 95% CI: 1.3 to 1.3). Upon stratification by geographical distribution, we observed the highest mortality rate in the Northeast region (AAMR: 1.6, 95% CI: 1 to 2) and urban areas (1.4, 95% CI: 1.3 to 1.5). The highest ICC-related AAMR was observed in Hawaii, Rhode Island, and Washington, with mortality rates being twice as high as states at the lower end of the spectrum, including Mississippi and Arkansas. Non-Hispanic Asian or Pacific Islanders exhibited the highest AAMR (1.9, 95% CI: 1.9 to 2) as compared to other racial groups, and adults aged >= 85 years exhibited the highest CMR (11.2, 95% CI: 10.3 to 12.1). Conclusion: The rise in ICC-related deaths from 1999 to 2020 is concerning, with the AAMRs observed to be the highest in males, non-Hispanic Asian or Pacific Islanders, adults aged >= 85 years and residents of the Northeast region, urban areas, and Hawaii. Efforts must be directed towards vulnerable populations to decrease ICC-related mortality.