Survival statistics for biliary tract cancers
Survival statistics for cancer are very general estimates and must be interpreted very carefully. Because these statistics are based on the experience of groups of people, they cannot be used to predict a particular person's chances of survival.
There are many different ways to measure and report cancer survival statistics. Your doctor can explain these statistics and what they mean to you.
Net survival
Net survival represents the probability (chance) of surviving cancer in the absence of other causes of death. It is used to give an estimate of the percentage of people who will survive cancer.
Net survival for gallbladder cancer
When cancer starts in gallbladder cells, it is called gallbladder cancer. In Canada, the 5-year net survival for gallbladder cancer is 19%. This means that, on average, about 19% of people diagnosed with gallbladder cancer will live for at least 5 years.
Net survival for bile duct cancer
When cancer starts in bile duct cells, it is called primary bile duct cancer. In Canada, a separate 5-year net survival statistic is not reported for bile duct cancer. But it is included in a group called other digestive system cancers, which includes similar cancers that are grouped and reported together. This statistic does not necessarily reflect the actual survival for the individual cancers within the group.
The 5-year net survival for all other digestive system cancers is 18%. This means that, on average, about 18% of people diagnosed with bile duct cancer will live for at least 5 years.
Survival by stage and tumour type
Survival varies by stage, type, and location of biliary tract cancer. Generally, the earlier gallbladder or bile duct cancer is diagnosed and treated, the better the outcome. Often biliary tract cancers are not found until they are at an advanced stage, which can make them harder to treat.
Survival by stage for biliary tract cancers are reported as 5-year relative survival. Relative survival looks at how likely people with cancer are to survive for at least 5 years after their diagnosis compared to people in the general population who do not have cancer but who share similar characteristics (such as age and sex).
Survival for biliary tract cancers can be grouped by whether the cancer is:
- localized – the cancer is only in the gallbladder, such as carcinoma in situ or stage 1
- regional – the cancer has spread to lymph nodes or structures outside but close to the gallbladder, such as stage 2 or 3
- distant – the cancer has spread to structures far from the gallbladder, such as stage 4
There are no specific Canadian statistics available for the different stages and types of biliary tract cancer. The following information comes from a variety of sources. It may include statistics from other countries that are likely to have similar outcomes as in Canada.
| Group | 5-year relative survival |
|---|---|
| Localized | 69% |
| Regional | 28% |
| Distant | 3% |
| Group | 5-year relative survival |
|---|---|
| Localized | 23% |
| Regional | 9% |
| Distant | 3% |
| Group | 5-year relative survival |
|---|---|
| Localized | 18% |
| Regional | 18% |
| Distant |
3% |
Questions about survival
Talk to your doctor about your prognosis. A prognosis depends on many factors, including:
- your health history
- the type of cancer
- the stage
- certain characteristics of the cancer
- the treatments chosen
- how the cancer responds to treatment
Only a doctor familiar with these factors can put all of this information together with survival statistics to arrive at a prognosis.