American Indians/Alaska Native men and women generally have lower cancer rates than the total population. However, health gaps still exist within certain types of cancer.
- From 2015-2021, American Indians/Alaska Native males diagnosed with stomach cancer had a survival rate that was 55% lower than males of the total population.1
- From 2019-2023, American Indians/Alaska Native males died from stomach cancer 94% more often than the total population.1
- In 2024, American Indians/Alaska Native females were diagnosed with cervical cancer 29% more frequently than females of the total population.2
- American Indians/Alaska Native adults had lower screening rates for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer than the total population.3
Visit MedlinePlus for more health information about Cancer and Living with Cancer in multiple languages.
Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute for information about cancer screening.
Looking for curated searches on cancer within minority and tribal populations, including American Indians/Alaska Native populations, in the United States and its territories? Check out the OMH Knowledge Center Topic Guides.
Diagnosis
| Cancer among adults ages 18 and over, age-adjusted percentage, 2024 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Cancer | American Indians/Alaska Native | Total Population | American Indians/Alaska Native / Total Population Ratio |
| All Sites | 9.2 | 10.3 | 0.89 |
| Breast | 1.9 | 1.8 | 1.06 |
| Cervical (women) | 0.9 | 0.7 | 1.29 |
| Prostate (men) | Not Reported | 2.6 | Not Reported |
Top cancer sites for American Indians/Alaska Native (2018–2022)
| Cancer Incidence among males, rate per 100,000 population, 2018–2022 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Cancer | American Indians/Alaska Native Males | Total Population Males | American Indians/Alaska Native / Total Population Ratio |
| All Sites | 482.4 | 441.7 | 1.09 |
| Colon & Rectum | 51.1 | 40.6 | 1.26 |
| Esophagus | 7.8 | 7.3 | 1.07 |
| Kidney | 34.4 | 23.6 | 1.46 |
| Liver & IBD* | 20.2 | 13.9 | 1.45 |
| Lung | 49.3 | 51.0 | 0.97 |
| Oral Cavity & Pharynx | 7.6 | 17.9 | 0.42 |
| Pancreas | 10.5 | 15.9 | 0.66 |
| Prostate | 108.2 | 133.6 | 0.81 |
| Stomach | 12.4 | 9.6 | 1.29 |
| *IBD = Intrahepatic Bile Duct | |||
| Cancer incidence among females, rate per 100,000 population, 2018–2022 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Cancer | American Indians/Alaska Native Females | Total Population Females | American Indians/Alaska Native / Total Population Ratio |
| All Sites | 468.0 | 500.3 | 0.94 |
| Breast | 136.4 | 136.5 | 1.00 |
| Cervical | 15.1 | 7.8 | 1.94 |
| Colon & Rectum | 39.2 | 30.9 | 1.27 |
| Kidney | 19.9 | 12.0 | 1.66 |
| Liver & IBD | 14.4 | 5.8 | 2.48 |
| Lung | 49.3 | 51.0 | 0.97 |
| Pancreas | 10.5 | 15.9 | 0.66 |
| Stomach | 9.1 | 6.5 | 1.40 |
| Uterus | 38.3 | 29.2 | 1.31 |
5-year survival rate
| 5-year survival rate among males by cancer site, percentage, 2015–2021 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Cancer | American Indians/Alaska Native Males | Total Population Males | American Indians/Alaska Native / Total Population Ratio |
| All Sites | 57.1 | 68.7 | 0.83 |
| Colon & Rectum | 60.4 | 63.9 | 0.95 |
| Kidney | 77.4 | 78.8 | 0.98 |
| Liver & IBD | 17.5 | 21.7 | 0.81 |
| Lung | 17.4 | 23.8 | 0.73 |
| Pancreas | 6.2 | 13.1 | 0.47 |
| Prostate | 92.4 | 97.9 | 0.94 |
| Stomach | 15.5 | 34.2 | 0.45 |
| 5-year survival rate among females, percentage, 2015–2021 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Cancer | American Indians/Alaska Native Females | Total Population Females | American Indians/Alaska Native / Total Population Ratio |
| All Sites | 65.7 | 71.2 | 0.92 |
| Breast | 86.6 | 91.7 | 0.94 |
| Cervical | 72.7 | 68.0 | 1.07 |
| Colon & Rectum | 63.4 | 65.4 | 0.97 |
| Kidney | 81.6 | 81.4 | 1.00 |
| Liver & IBD | 20.7 | 22.8 | 0.91 |
| Lung | 26.9 | 32.6 | 0.83 |
| Pancreas | 8.2 | 13.5 | 0.61 |
| Stomach | 21.1 | 43.2 | 0.49 |
| Uterus | 84 | 81.1 | 1.04 |
Death rates
| 5-year mortality among males, age-adjusted rate per 100,000 population, 2019–2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Cancer | American Indians/Alaska Native Males | Total Population Males | American Indians/Alaska Native / Total Population Ratio |
| All Sites | 180.5 | 171.5 | 1.05 |
| Colon & Rectum | 21.0 | 15.3 | 1.37 |
| Liver & IBD | 15.7 | 13.9 | 1.13 |
| Lung | 35.2 | 37.2 | 0.95 |
| Pancreas | 10.9 | 12.9 | 0.84 |
| Prostate | 18.9 | 19.2 | 0.98 |
| Stomach | 6.8 | 3.5 | 1.94 |
| 5-year mortality among females, age-adjusted rate per 100,000 population, 2019–2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Cancer | American Indians/Alaska Native Females | Total Population Females | American Indians/Alaska Native / Total Population Ratio |
| All Sites | 141.2 | 126.3 | 1.12 |
| Breast | 17.7 | 19.2 | 0.92 |
| Cervical | 3.0 | 2.2 | 1.36 |
| Colon & Rectum | 14.8 | 10.8 | 1.37 |
| Liver & IBD | 8.4 | 4.3 | 1.95 |
| Pancreas | 10.1 | 9.9 | 1.02 |
| Stomach | 3.8 | 2.0 | 1.90 |
| Uterus | 4.9 | 5.3 | 0.92 |
Screening
Breast cancer
| Women aged 40 and over who had a mammogram within the past 2 years, percentage, 2019 (crude) | ||
|---|---|---|
| American Indians/Alaska Native | Total Population | American Indians/Alaska Native / Total Population Ratio |
| 61.3 | 79.8 | 0.77 |
Cervical cancer
| Females aged 21 to 65 years receiving a cervical cancer screening based on the most recent guidelines, percentage, 2021 | ||
|---|---|---|
| American Indians/Alaska Native | Total Population | American Indians/Alaska Native / Total Population Ratio |
| 53.8 | 73.9 | 0.73 |
Colorectal Cancer
| Adults aged 45 to 75 years received a colorectal cancer screening based on the most recent guidelines, percentage, 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
| American Indians/Alaska Native | Total Population | American Indians/Alaska Native / Total Population Ratio |
| 51.0 | 63.5 | 0.80 |
1 SEER*Explorer: An interactive website for SEER cancer statistics. Surveillance Research Program, National Cancer Institute. (Back to top)
2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). National Center for Health Statistics. Interactive Summary Health Statistics for Adults. (Back to top)
3 ODPHP. Healthy People 2030. Increase the proportion of adults who get screened for colorectal cancer in 2023. (Back to top)
Date Last Reviewed: September 2025