Perspectives on communication and engagement with regard to collecting biospecimens and family health histories for cancer research in a rural Alaska Native community.

Precision medicine initiatives, such as Cancer Breakthrough 2020, promise to improve cancer outcomes by tailoring treatment to an individual's genes, environment, and lifestyle. This promise will fall short unless researchers successfully engage diverse communities, including those with histories of medical and research abuse. We examined a rural Alaska Native community's viewpoints about biospecimen collection and storage; interest and recall in reporting family health history; and interest and engagement in biospecimen collection for conducting a genetic test for cancer.

Cancer among circumpolar populations: an emerging public health concern.

Objectives: To determine and compare the incidence of cancer among the 8 Arctic States and their northern regions, with special focus on 3 cross-national indigenous groups--Inuit, Athabaskan Indians and Sami.

Methods: Data were extracted from national and regional statistical agencies and cancer registries, with direct age-standardization of rates to the world standard population. For comparison, the "world average" rates as reported in the GLOBOCAN database were used.

Cancer disparities among Alaska native people, 1970-2011.

Introduction: Cancer is the leading cause of death among Alaska Native people. The objective of this study was to examine cancer incidence data for 2007-2011, age-specific rates for a 15-year period, incidence trends for 1970-2011, and mortality trends for 1990-2011.

Methods: US data were from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program SEER*Stat database and from the SEER Alaska Native Tumor Registry.

Helicobacter pylori infection and markers of gastric cancer risk in Alaska Native persons: a retrospective case-control study.

Background: Alaska Native persons experience gastric cancer incidence and mortality rates that are three to four times higher than in the general United States population.

Objective: To evaluate pepsinogen I, pepsinogen I/II ratio, anti-Helicobacter pylori and cytotoxin-associated gene A (CagA) antibody levels, and blood group for their associations with gastric cancer development in Alaska Native people.

Methods: The present analysis was a retrospective case-control study that matched gastric cancers reported to the Alaska Native Tumor Registry from 1969 to 2008 to three controls on known demographic risk factors for H pylori infection, using sera from the Alaska Area Specimen Bank.

HPV genotypes detected in cervical cancers from Alaska Native women, 1980-2007.

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine prevents cervical pre-cancers and cancers caused by HPV types 16 and 18. This study provides information on the HPV types detected in cervical cancers of Alaska Native (AN) women.

Methods: Cases of invasive cervical cancer diagnosed in AN women aged 18 and above between 1980 and 2007 were identified from the Alaska Native Tumor Registry.

Colorectal cancer in alaska native people, 2005-2009.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among Alaska Native (AN) people, and the second leading cause of cancer death. The incidence rate for the combined years 1999 through 2003 was 30% higher than the rate among U.S.

Occurrence of pancreatic, biliary tract, and gallbladder cancers in Alaska Native people, 1973-2007.

Objectives: To describe the occurrence of pancreatic, biliary tract, and gallbladder cancers within the Alaska Native (AN) population.

Study Design: Population-based analysis utilizing a tumor registry and comparative population data.

Methods: Pancreaticobiliary cancers rates for AN people during 1973-2007 were determined from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) AN Tumor Registry.

The Alaska Education and Research Towards Health (EARTH) Study: cancer risk factors.

The Alaska Education and Research Towards Health (EARTH) Study assessed cancer risk among 3,821 Alaska Native people (AN). We present the prevalence of selected cancer risk factors and comparison with Healthy People 2010 goals. Participants completed extensive computer-assisted self-administered questionnaires on diet, physical activity, tobacco and alcohol use, cancer screening, family history of cancer, and environmental exposures.

Cancers of the breast, uterus, ovary and cervix among Alaska Native women, 1974-2003.

Objectives: Alaska Native (AN) women have exhibited some of the highest incidence rates of cancer overall, and different patterns of site-specific incidence compared to other U.S. populations.

Incidence of cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx among American Indians and Alaska Natives, 1999-2004.

Background: Previous studies identified disparities in incidence rates of cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx between American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) and non-Hispanic whites (NHW) and differences between various AI/AN populations. Reporting among AI/AN has been hampered by: 1) heterogeneity among various anatomic sites of oral cavity and pharyngeal cancers obscuring unique patterns of individual anatomic sites; 2) race misclassification and underreporting of AI/AN; and 3) sparseness of data needed to identify regional variations.

Methods: To improve race classification of AI/AN, data from US central cancer registries were linked with Indian Health Service (IHS) records.

Primary liver cancer incidence among American Indians and Alaska Natives, US, 1999-2004.

Background: American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) experience higher morbidity and mortality from primary liver cancer than other United States (US) populations, but racial misclassification in medical records results in underestimates of disease burden.

Methods: To reduce misclassification, National Program of Cancer Registries and Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results data were linked with Indian Health Service (IHS) enrollment records to compare primary liver cancer incidence and stage at diagnosis between AI/AN and non-Hispanic whites (NHW) living within the regionalized IHS Contract Health Service Delivery Area counties. Incidence rates are expressed per 100,000 persons and age-adjusted by 19 age groups to the 2000 US standard population.

Cancers of the urinary tract among American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States, 1999-2004.

Background: Assessment of the kidney parenchyma ("kidney") and urinary bladder ("bladder") cancer burden among American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) has been limited. Using a database with improved classification for AI/AN, the authors described patterns of these 2 cancers among AI/AN and non-Hispanic whites (NHW) in the United States.

Methods: Cases diagnosed during 1999 to 2004 were identified through National Program of Cancer Registries and the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results program and linked to the Indian Health Service (IHS) registration records.

Cancer among American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States, 1999-2004.

Background: Cancer incidence rates vary among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations and often differ from rates among non-Hispanic whites (NHWs). However, the misclassification of race for AI/AN cancer cases in central cancer registries may have led to underestimates of the AI/AN cancer burden in previous reports.

Methods: Cases diagnosed during 1999 through 2004 were identified from population-based cancer registries in the United States.

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

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

Methods: Cancer mortality rates for Alaska Native (AN), U.S.

Women's cancers among Alaska Natives: [corrected] 1969-2003.

Introduction: Alaska Native (AN) people include multiple, diverse ethnic groups whose ancestors occupied what is now the state of Alaska. Cancer incidence rates among Alaska Native women for breast, cervix, uterus and ovary are presented here. Current rates and trends over time are compared with U.

Women's cancers among Alaska Natives 1969-2003.

Introduction: Alaska Native people include multiple, diverse ethnic groups whose ancestors occupied what is now the state of Alaska. Cancer incidence rates among Alaska Native women for breast, cervix, uterus and ovary are presented here. Current rates and trends over time are compared with US White rates.

Occurrence of esophageal and gastric cancer in Alaska Natives, 1969-2003.

Background: Early reports of esophageal and gastric cancer in American Indians/Alaska Natives documented high rates.

Methods: Esophageal and gastric cancers in Alaska Natives were reviewed for 1969-2003 using the Alaska Native Tumor Registry database. Alaska Native incidence rates were age-adjusted and compared to rates of several US populations.

Differences in cancer incidence among Indians in Alaska and New Mexico and U.S. Whites, 1993-2002.

Cancer incidence for American Indians and Alaska Natives is typically reported as a single rate for all U.S. indigenous populations combined.

Prostate cancer in Alaska Native men, 1969-2003.

Objectives: The incidence of prostate cancer differs significantly between US race groups. In prior reviews of cancer in Alaska Natives, the incidence of prostate cancer has been observed to occur at a low rate compared to US Whites and Blacks. However, a detailed report of prostate cancer in this population has not been previously published.