Research carried out over a period of ten years in public and private reference centers made its development possible the most complete registry to date on bile duct cancer in Argentina, a group of rare tumors that have a high mortality rate. The work, coordinated by the Latin American Gastrointestinal Oncology Intergroup (Ilogi), analyzed more than 900 cases and was able to describe how these tumors are distributed in the country, which risk factors are most relevant and when they are usually diagnosed. The analysis provides an unprecedented x-ray image for understanding a health problem that, although silent, has a particularly strong impact in some regions.
Bile duct cancer is a growing challenge worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the incidence of these tumors could increase by more than 75% by 2040. These are pathologies that are generally only recognized in late stages because they do not present clear symptoms at the beginning.. Every year more than 165,000 new cases and more than 130,000 deaths are recorded worldwide, a figure that reflects its aggressiveness. The global trend has a local correlate: in Argentina, most diagnoses are also made in advanced stages, where therapeutic options are limited.
The Argentine registry collected data from 928 patients from 20 cancer centers in the country. Of these, 577 corresponded to gallbladder cancer, 184 to extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and 167 to intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. “We found that gallbladder cancer was the most common digestive tumor among the cases analyzed and that it represents a particularly high burden in the northwest and southwest of Argentina,” explained oncologist Gerardo Arroyo of the Center for Diagnosis, Research and Treatment (Cedit) in Salta. On the other hand, cholangiocarcinoma was more present in the central and eastern regions of the country, suggesting different geographical behaviors within the same disease group.
One of the study’s most consistent findings was the connection between gallstones and cancer development. A history of gallbladder “stones” was noted in 53% of gallbladder cancer cases and 20% of cholangiocarcinomas. In the northern provinces, this condition is extremely common: it is estimated that up to 80% of the population suffers from lithiasis at some point in their lives. “The group most at risk are women from the north of the country whose diagnosis has advanced.”said oncologist Carolina Ituarte from Jujuy. In Salta and Jujuy, gallbladder cancer is the third cause of cancer-related deaths among adult women, a situation that reflects the combination of genetic, environmental and health factors.
The study also found that 80% of patients had a family history of cancer in fathers, mothers or children, suggesting possible involvement of hereditary components. Although this does not establish a causal relationship, it opens the door for future research into genetic susceptibility and common factors.
Regarding symptoms, the majority of patients reported persistent abdominal pain in the right upper quadrant, involuntary weight loss, jaundice, nausea, generalized weakness, and bloating.. The presence of dark urine was also common. “If you have abdominal pain that doesn’t go away, even if it’s mild, it’s important to see a doctor,” explains Ituarte. Arroyo added: “What increases the risk is not the intensity of the symptom, but its persistence. If the discomfort persists for days, it should be evaluated.”
Diagnosis may require examinations such as abdominal ultrasound, tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, liver function analysis or tumor markers, and in certain cases a biopsy. However, effective access to these studies and timely consultation remain barriers, particularly in vulnerable regions. This delay results in a larger proportion of cases being discovered in advanced stages.
Experts agree that the information generated by the registry will serve as a guide for prevention and timely diagnostic strategies. The proposed measures include Promoting early consultation for persistent symptoms, improving diagnostic capacity in northern Argentina, training health teams and working on modifiable factors such as obesity, lack of exercise or tobacco use. They also point out the importance of increasing awareness campaigns so that the population recognizes warning signs.
“This registry offers us an essential X-ray image of bile duct cancer in Argentina,” said María Alejandra Iglesias, president of the Sostén Civil Association. “The challenge now is to translate these findings into public policies, more information for the population and decisions that reduce avoidable inequalities,” he said.
Although not a population registry, Ilogi’s research is consistent with trends observed in international studies and represents an important step in understanding the local epidemiology of a number of diseases that remain underdiagnosed. Experts point out that it has a double contribution: it allows us to shed light on a health problem that is not very visible, while offering tools to intervene earlier when it is still possible to change the prognosis.
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