Cancer and American Indians/Alaska Natives

American Indian/Alaska Native men and women have some lower cancer rates than the non-Hispanic white population. However, disparities still exist in certain types of cancer.

  • From 2014-2018, American Indian/Alaska Native men were almost twice as likely to have liver & IBD* cancer as compared to non-Hispanic white men.
  • American Indian/Alaska Native men are 30 percent more likely to have stomach cancer than non-Hispanic white men and are over twice as likely to die from the same disease.
  • American Indian/Alaska Native women are 2.3 times more likely to have, and 2.2 times as likely to die from, liver & IBD cancer, as compared to non-Hispanic white women.
  • American Indian/Alaska Native women are 20 percent more likely to have kidney/renal pelvis cancer than non-Hispanic white women.

Diagnosis

Age-adjusted percentages of cancer among adults aged 18 and over, 2019
CancerAmerican Indian/Alaska NativeNon-Hispanic WhiteAmerican Indian/Alaska Native/Non-Hispanic White Ratio
All Sites15.612.41.3
Breast (women)1.82.00.9
Cervical (women)--1.4--
Prostate (men) --2.8--

Source: NCHS 2021. National Health Interview Survey. Interactive Summary Health Statistics for Adults – 2019. [Accessed 7/22/2021]
https://wwwn.cdc.gov/NHISDataQueryTool/SHS_adult/index.html

Top Cancer Sites for American Indian/Alaska Natives (2014-2018)

Cancer Incidence Rates per 100,000 – Men
CancerAmerican Indian/Alaska Native MenNon-Hispanic White MenAmerican Indian/Alaska Native/Non-Hispanic White Ratio
All Sites326.7520.40.7
Colon & Rectum39.642.20.9
Esophagus6.48.50.8
Kidney24.224.21.0
Liver & IBD21.711.31.9
Lung40.960.70.7
Oral Cavity & Pharynx12.220.20.6
Pancreas13.416.30.8
Prostate53.1118.90.4
Stomach10.17.71.3

*IBD = Intrahepatic Bile Duct

Source: NCI 2021. Seer Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2018. Table 1.24 and SEER*Explorer [ Accessed 7/22/2021].
https://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2018/, https://seer.cancer.gov/explorer/

Top Cancer Sites for American Indian/Alaska Natives (2014-2018)

Cancer Incidence Rates per 100,000 – Women
CancerAmerican Indian/Alaska Native WomenNon-Hispanic White WomenAmerican Indian/Alaska Native/Non-Hispanic White Ratio
All Sites311.1460.20.7
Breast81.7137.90.6
Cervical7.66.71.1
Colon & Rectum37.532.71.1
Kidney14.011.71.2
Liver & IBD8.64.02.2
Lung 35.553.90.7
Pancreas8.211.90.8
Stomach5.83.81.5
Uterus20.028.70.7

Source: NCI 2021. Seer Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2018. Table 1.25 and SEER*Explorer [ Accessed 7/22/2021].
https://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2018/, https://seer.cancer.gov/explorer/

5 Year Survival Rate

Not available at this time.

Death Rate

Cancer Death Rates per 100,000 – Men (2014-2018)
CancerAmerican Indian/Alaska Native MenNon-Hispanic White MenAmerican Indian/Alaska Native/Non-Hispanic White Ratio
All Sites169.3190.20.9
Colon & Rectum18.516.11.1
Kidney8.35.51.5
Liver & IBD14.88.41.8
Lung38.449.40.8
Prostate18.517.91.0
Stomach6.33.12.0

Source: NCI 2021. Seer Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2018. Table 1.20
https://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2018/sections.html

Cancer Death Rates per 100,000 – Women (2014-2018)
CancerAmerican Indian/Alaska Native WomenNon-Hispanic White WomenAmerican Indian/Alaska Native/Non-Hispanic White Ratio
All Sites120.1137.80.9
Breast14.820.10.7
Cervical2.42.01.2
Colon & Rectum12.411.51.1
Kidney3.22.31.4
Liver & IBD7.03.61.9
Lung27.435.60.8
Stomach3.51.62.0
Uterus3.54.50.8

Source: NCI 2021. Seer Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2018. Table 1.20
https://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2018/sections.html

Screening

Breast Cancer

Percentage of women age 40 and over who had a mammogram within the past 2 years, 2018 (crude)
American Indian/Alaska Native WomenNon-Hispanic White WomenAmerican Indian/Alaska Native / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
65.368.01.0

Source: CDC 2021. Health United States, 2019. Table 33.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus19-508.pdf [PDF 3.02MB]

Cervical Cancer

Percentage of women age 18 and over who had a Pap smear within the past 3 years, 2018 (crude)
American Indian/Alaska Native WomenNon-Hispanic White WomenAmerican Indian/Alaska Native / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
58.663.70.9

Source: CDC 2021. Health United States, 2019. Table 34.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus19-508.pdf [PDF 3.02MB]

Colon Cancer

Adults aged 50-75 who had any colorectal test or procedure, 2018
American Indian/Alaska NativeNon-Hispanic White WomenAmerican Indian/Alaska Native / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
46.164.00.7

Source: CDC 2021. Health United States, 2019. Table 35.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus19-508.pdf [PDF 3.02MB]