The epidemiology of breast cancer in Pacific women in New Zealand.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the epidemiology of breast cancer in Pacific women in New Zealand and determine whether ethnic disparities exist.


METHODS
Analysis of data obtained from the New Zealand Cancer Registry for breast cancer notifications from 1987-94 inclusive. Statistical analysis compared the age-specific incidence, tumour stage at presentation and pathological tumour type of Pacific, Maori and Other women.


RESULTS
Notification data were analysed for 12,914 breast cancer cases including 688 Maori and 227 Pacific women. The age-standardised incidence rate per 100,000 person years for Pacific women (104.5) was statistically significantly (p<0.05) lower than that for Other (139.1) and Maori (148.6) women. Pacific and Maori women presented with significantly less localised tumours (31.4% and 41.3% respectively) than Other women (47.2%).


CONCLUSIONS
Ethnic disparities in breast cancer epidemiology exist in New Zealand. Pacific women may have decreased incidence rates of breast cancer but they and Maori women present with a more advanced stage of breast cancer than Other women. The latter is a modifiable factor which could be targeted by improved participation in screening programmes.
Lawes
C M
CM
Pacific Health Research Centre, Department of Maori and Pacific Health, Auckland.
Tukuitonga
C F
CF
Scragg
R K
RK
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D010139:Pacific Islands / Q000208:ethnology; D012042:Registries; D044465:White People