Breast cancer survival of American Indian/Alaska Native women, 1973-1996.
OBJECTIVE
To assess breast cancer mortality rates among American Indian/Alaska Native women compared with non-Hispanic White women in the five years after diagnosis.


METHODS
Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results data from 1973-1996 were used to compare survival in the two races, controlling for age, marital status, stage, and therapy.


RESULTS
The adjusted relative hazard of death was 58% higher for American Indian/Alaska Native women than for non-Hispanic White women (HR = 1.58, 95% Cl 1.26-2.00). The survival disparity persisted even when limited to women who received definitive therapy, i.e. mastectomy with axillary node dissection or breast-conserving surgery with axillary node dissection and radiation treatment (HR = 1.88, 95% Cl 1.40-2.52).


CONCLUSIONS
American Indian/Alaska Native women were at greater risk for breast cancer mortality than non-Hispanic White women, even when restricted to women who received definitive breast cancer therapy.
Wampler
Nina S
NS
Noqsi Research, Pine, Colorado 80470, USA. Nina.Wampler@wispertel.net
Lash
Timothy L
TL
Silliman
Rebecca A
RA
Heeren
Timothy C
TC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000413:Alaska; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004930:Inuit / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D044382:Population Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012306:Risk; D018426:SEER Program; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014481:United States; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data