California's Cancer Burden
Cancer Disparities: American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/AN)
Among males and females combined, overall age-adjusted rates from 2018 to 2022 indicate that American Indian/Alaska Natives exceed each of the four major race and ethnic groups with the highest cancer incidence and mortality rates (647.2 and 284.5 per 100,00, respectively). The overall incidence rate for cancer among American Indian/Alaska Native males is slightly lower in comparison to American Indian/Alaska Native females (636.5 per 100,000 versus 664.3 per 100,000, respectively). Prostate, lung, and colorectal cancers are the top three most common cancers diagnosed among American Indian/Alaska Native males, while breast, lung, and colorectal cancers are the top three most common cancers diagnosed among American Indian/Alaska Native females. Compared to non-Hispanic Whites, American Indian/Alaska Natives have a 15 percent higher incidence rate for uterine cancer (27.1 and 49.6 per 100,000, respectively), an eight percent higher incidence rate for breast cancer (140.4 and 193.3 per 100,000, respectively), and a 30 percent higher incidence rate for liver cancer (6.9 and 27.8 per 100,000, respectively). Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death among both American Indian/Alaska Native males and females. Liver, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers rank among the top five common cancer-related deaths among both male and female American Indian/Alaska Natives. Compared to non-Hispanic Whites, the mortality rate for pancreatic cancer among American Indian/Alaska Natives is 16 percent higher than the rate among non-Hispanic Whites (20.6 and 10.8 per 100,000, respectively). The mortality rate for liver cancer among American Indian/Alaska Native males is 25 percent higher than the rate among Asian and Pacific Islander males (37.7 and 12.9 per 100,000, respectively).
(Tables 3A-3B: Top 5 AI/AN Incidence & Mortality)
Table 3A: Top 5 common cancers by incidence among American Indian/Alaskan Natives, by sex, California, 2018-2022.
| | Rate | | Rate |
| Prostate | 117.0 | Breast | 193.3 |
| Lung and Bronchus | 69.5 | Lung and Bronchus | 64.6 |
| Colon and Rectum | 64.7 | Colon and Rectum | 57.3 |
| Kidney and Renal Pelvis | 41.9 | Corpus and Uterus, NOS | 49.6 |
| Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct | 41.4 | Kidney and Renal Pelvis | 26.4
|
Table 3B: Top 5 common cancers by mortality among American Indian/Alaskan Natives, by sex, California, 2018-2022.
| | Rate | | Rate |
| Lung and Bronchus | 58.8 | Lung and Bronchus | 51.8 |
| Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct | 37.7 | Breast | 40.9 |
| Prostate | 36.5 | Colon and Rectum | 25.1 |
| Colon and Rectum | 26.7 | Pancreas | 20.0 |
| Pancreas | 21.4 | Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct | 15.1
|