Nationwide Characteristics of Patients Admitted to Hospital for the First Time Due to Primary Liver Cancer and Intrahepatic Bile Duct Cancer in Poland in 2012–2023

Background/Objectives: Primary liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancers remain important causes of cancer morbidity and mortality worldwide, yet contemporary nationwide data on affected populations in Poland are limited. This study evaluated sociodemographic patterns of first-time hospitalizations due to malignant neoplasms of the liver and intrahepatic bile ducts in Poland during 2012–2023. Methods: Data were obtained from the Nationwide General Hospital Morbidity Study and included 30,898 first-time hospitalizations identified using the ICD-10 category C22. First-time hospitalization rates were assessed according to sex, age, place of residence, disease subtype, length of stay, and comorbidities. Results: Men accounted for 57.7% of urban and 58.4% of rural cases and had significantly higher first-time hospitalization rates than women. These rates were higher among urban than rural residents (men: 9.5 vs. 6.0 per 100,000; women: 6.3 vs. 4.2 per 100,000). Liver cell carcinoma was the most frequent subtype (36.3%), followed by intrahepatic bile duct carcinoma (12.6%). Hospitalizations were uncommon before the age of 40 years and peaked in the 65–69-year age group. Mean age increased over time among men and urban women. In 2020, the number of first-time hospitalizations decreased from 2754 to 2060, corresponding to 694 fewer hospitalizations and a 25.2% decline compared with 2019. This decrease occurred against the background of nationwide reductions of 22.1% in patients treated in general-hospital wards and 8.1% in oncology-ward patients, suggesting that pandemic-related healthcare disruption may have contributed to the observed decline. Hospitalization rates subsequently increased. Rates for liver cell carcinoma remained relatively stable in most population groups, whereas those for intrahepatic bile duct carcinoma were significantly higher in 2020–2023 than in 2012–2019 across all sex and place-of-residence groups. Length-of-stay patterns were broadly similar across the analyzed groups, and diseases of the digestive system were the most common comorbidity category (23.1%). Conclusions: The findings demonstrate important sociodemographic differences and temporal changes in first-time hospitalizations due to malignant neoplasms of the liver and intrahepatic bile ducts in Poland. These findings suggest evolving epidemiological patterns and underscore the need for continued prevention, surveillance, and early detection efforts.