Disparities in cancer mortality among Alaska Native people, 1994-2003

To provide current data on cancer mortality among Alaska Native people for the period of 1994-2003, and to identify and quantitate cancer disparities.

Cancer mortality rates for Alaska Native (AN), U.S., White (USW) and other populations were calculated using SEERStat. Ratios of age-adjusted incidence rates with 95% confidence intervals are provided.

Data were from SEERStat. Age-adjusted cancern mortality rates for Alaska Native exceeded those of USW population by 20%. For specific cancer sites, rates were significantly higher among AN people: oral cavity and pharynx (RR=1.9), esophagus (RR=2.0), stomach (RR=3.9), colon and rectum (RR=1.8), liver (RR=1.9), gallbladder (RR=2.6), pancreas (RR=1.3), lung and bronchus (RR=1.2), and kidney and renal pelvis (RR=2.2). In contrast, mortality rates among AN people were significantly lower than USW rates for cancers of the prostate (RR=0.7), brain and nervous system (RR=0.3), lymphoma (RR=0.6), and leukemia (RR=0.4).

Marked disparities in cancer mortality exist among the Alaska Native population compared to the US White population. Excess mortality is documented for all sites combined and for many cancer specific sites. Rates for all cancers combined and for select sites are among the highest of any racial/ethnic group in the United States.