American Indian Culture and Research Journal

Cancer is a significant problem in American Indian populations nationwide. Recent studies indicate that cancer incidences, mortality, and survival rates vary according to geographic location and tribe. The Indian Health Service (IHS) reports the cancer incidence rate as 7.8 percent for all IHS areas with a range of 14.5 percent for the IHS Aberdeen area, 13.2 percent in the IHS Billings area, and a low of 5.8 percent in the IHS Portland area. The risk for certain cancers, such as cervical cancer, is almost three times greater for American Indian women than for the white population. Although breast cancer rates appear somewhat low, other cancers such as cervical, prostate, colon, and rectal cancers are high. Furthermore, American Indians found to have suspicious symptoms are less likely to receive follow-up care, thus increasing their cancer mortality risk. Less frequent use of prevention measures, such as cancer screenings, are reported among American Indians. Cultural and socioeconomic barriers to cancer screening call for special research attention. Although American Indians experience many of the same barriers to early cancer detection as other populations, such as lack of knowledge regarding the need for cancer screening and treatment methods, the cost of medical care, and lack of transportation and patient advocacy, these problems are compounded by the fact that cancer is a relatively “new” illness among American Indians. Fifty years ago, Indian mortality was often the result of acute illnesses such as tuberculosis, measles, and smallpox. Thus, many Indians did not live long enough to develop cancer. This trend, however, is changing. A rise in cancer incidence among American Indians is expected because their life expectancy has steadily increased during the past twenty years.