Cancer and Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

National data is limited for this population. Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders generally have lower cancer rates than the total population. However, health gaps still exist within certain types of cancer.

In 2022, Asian/Pacific Islanders, both male and female, had rates of new liver and intrahepatic bile duct (IBD) cancer that were 19% higher than those in their respective total populations.

From 2019-2023,

Death rates for stomach cancer in Asian/Pacific Islander males exceeded the total male population by 49%.

Asian/Pacific Islander females died from liver and IBD cancer and from stomach cancer at rates 21% and 65% higher, respectively, than females in the total population.

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 Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islander populations, in the United States and its territories? Check out the OMH Knowledge Center Topic Guides.

Occurrence

Cancer among adults ages 18 and over, age-adjusted percentage, 2022-2024
Cancer	NHPI, single race	Total Population	Ratio (NHPI / Total)
All Sites	5.1	9.8	0.52
Breast	1.3	1.7	0.76
Cervical (Female)	Not Reported	1.0	Not Reported
Prostate (Male)	Not Reported	2.5	Not Reported
Any skin	0.2	3.4	0.06

Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. (2025). Interactive summary health statistics for adults: Percentage of any type of cancer for adults aged 18 and over; United States, 2024; Percentage of breast cancer for adults aged 18 and over, United States, 2024; Percentage of cervical cancer for women aged 18 and over, United States, 2024. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Top Cancer Sites

Cancer incidence among males, delay-adjusted and age-adjusted rate per 100,000 population, 2022
Cancer	Asian/Pacific Islander* Males	Total Population Males	Ratio (Asian/Pacific Islander* / Total)
All Sites	328.3	500.3	0.66
Colon & Rectum (Including Appendix)	38.3	43.5	0.88
Esophagus	4.1	7.3	0.56
Kidney	11.7	23.6	0.50
Liver & Intrahepatic Bile Duct (IBD)	16.6	13.9	1.19
Lung	41.2	51.0	0.81
Oral Cavity & Pharynx	12.3	17.9	0.69
Pancreas	12.1	15.9	0.76
Prostate	77.2	133.6	0.58
Stomach	12.3	9.6	1.28

Source: National Institues of Health, National Cancer Institute. (2025). SEER 5-year age-adjusted incidence rates, 2018-2022: All stages by cancer site and race/ethnicity, male, all ages. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Cancer incidence among females, delay-adjusted and age-adjusted rate per 100,000 population, 2022
Cancer	Asian/Pacific Islander* Females	Total Population Females	Ratio (Asian/Pacific Islander / Total)
All Sites	349.0	441.7	0.79
Breast	126.9	136.5	0.93
Cervical	5.8	7.8	0.74
Colon & Rectum (Including Appendix)	27.1	34.0	0.80
Kidney	5.3	12.0	0.44
Liver & Intrahepatic Bile Duct (IBD)	6.9	5.8	1.19
Lung	28.5	43.7	0.65
Pancreas	9.9	12.7	0.78
Stomach	7.6	6.5	1.17
Uterus	24.7	29.2	0.85

Source: National Institues of Health, National Cancer Institute. (2025). SEER 5-year age-adjusted incidence rates, 2018-2022: All stages by cancer site and race/ethnicity, female, all ages. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Five-Year Survival Rates

5-year survival rate among males, percentage, 2015–2021
Cancer	Asian/Pacific Islander* Males	Total Population Males	Ratio (Asian/Pacific Islander* / Total)
All Sites	62.2	68.7	0.91
Colon & Rectum (Including Appendix)	66.9	64.5	1.04
Kidney	79.3	78.8	1.01
Liver & IBD	31.2	21.7	1.44
Lung	29.3	23.8	1.23
Pancreas	14.6	13.1	1.11
Prostate	93.8	98.6	0.95
Stomach	42.9	34.2	1.25

Source: National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute. (2025). SEER 5-rear relative survival rates, 2015-2021: All stages by cancer site and race/ethnicity, male, all ages. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

5-year survival rate among females, percentage, 2015–2021
Cancer	Asian/Pacific Islander* Females	Total Population Females	Ratio (Asian/Pacific Islander / Total)
All Sites	73.3	71.2	1.03
Breast	92.3	91.7	1.01
Cervical	70.9	68.0	1.04
Colon & Rectum (Including Appendix)	66.9	66.4	1.01
Kidney	80.0	81.4	0.98
Liver & IBD	28.2	22.8	1.24
Lung	40.1	32.6	1.23
Pancreas	15.5	13.5	1.15
Stomach	42.0	43.2	0.97
Uterus	82.3	81.1	1.01

Source: National Institues of Health, National Cancer Institute. (2025). SEER 5-year relative survival rates, 2015-2021: All stages by cancer site and race/ethnicity, female, all ages. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Mortality

5-year mortality among males, age-adjusted rate per 100,000 population, 2019–2023
Cancer	Asian/Pacific Islander* Males	Total Population Males	Ratio (Asian/Pacific Islander* / Total)
All Sites	107.1	171.5	0.62
Colon & Rectum (Including Appendix)	10.9	15.3	0.71
Liver & IBD	11.4	9.4	1.21
Lung	23.4	37.2	0.63
Pancreas	8.4	12.9	0.65
Prostate	8.8	19.2	0.46
Stomach	5.2	3.5	1.49

Source: National Institues of Health, National Cancer Institute. (2025). U.S. 5-year age-adjusted mortality rates, 2019-2023: By cancer site and race/ethnicity, male, all ages. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

5-year survival rate among females, percentage, 2015–2021
Cancer	Asian/Pacific Islander* Females	Total Population Females	Ratio (Asian/Pacific Islander / Total)
All Sites	83.1	126.3	0.66
Breast	11.8	19.2	0.61
Cervical	1.6	2.2	0.73
Colon & Rectum (Including Appendix)	7.8	10.8	0.72
Liver & IBD	5.2	4.3	1.21
Pancreas	7.2	9.9	0.73
Stomach	3.3	2.0	1.65
Uterus	3.8	5.3	0.72

Source: National Institues of Health, National Cancer Institute. (2025). U.S. 5-year age-adjusted mortality rates, 2019-2023: By cancer site and race/ethnicity, female, all ages. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

*Population is non-Hispanic in the data source.

Date Last Reviewed: January 2026