Cancer and Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

  • American Samoan women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with, and to die from, cervical cancer, as compared to non-Hispanic whites.
  • American Samoan men are eight times more likely to develop liver cancer, and Native Hawaiian men are 2.4 times more likely to be diagnosed with the same disease, as compared to non-Hispanic whites.
  • In Hawaii, from 2013-2015, Native Hawaiians had the highest mortality rate (404.8) for all types of cancer, as compared to whites (136.5) in the state.1
  • In the U.S. territory of Guam, from 2008-2012, the incidence rate was higher for all cancer types in the Micronesian population (414.7), as compared to other ethnic groups in Guam.2

* NOTE: This is the most recent national data which is available at this time. Additional data will be added as reports are issued from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Diagnosis

Age-adjusted percentages of cancer among adults aged 18 and over, 2019
Native Hawaiian/Pacific IslanderNon-Hispanic WhiteNative Hawaiian/Pacific Islander /Non-Hispanic White Ratio
5.79.20.6

Source: CDC, 2017. Selected Health Conditions Among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Adults: United States, 2014. Figure 2
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db277.pdf [PDF 333KB]
Source: CDC 2017. Summary Health Statistics: National Health Interview Survey: 2014. Table A-3.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/shs/tables.htm

Top Cancer Sites for Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders (1998-2002)

Cancer Incidence Rates per 100,000 - Men (1998-2002) *
CancerNative HawaiianSamoanTonganNon-Hispanic White (NHW)Native Hawaiian/NHW RatioSamoan/NHW RatioTongan/NHW Ratio
All Sites531.6566.7428.8587.00.91.00.7
Colorectal65.743.1--65.61.00.7--
Liver & IBD16.354.5--6.72.48.1--
Lung109.8111.9107.089.21.21.31.2
Prostate119.7144.185.0170.00.70.80.1
Stomach18.853.0--9.91.95.4--
Cancer Incidence Rates per 100,000 - Women (1998-2002) *
CancerNative HawaiianSamoanTonganNon-Hispanic White (NHW)Native Hawaiian/NHW RatioSamoan/NHW RatioTongan/NHW Ratio
All Sites488.5472.0504.7448.51.11.11.1
Breast175.8102.5118.0145.21.20.70.8
Cervical12.318.1--8.11.52.2--
Colorectal44.038.6--47.60.90.8--
Lung69.756.9--59.01.21.0--
Stomach14.5----4.33.4----

*IBD = Intrahepatic Bile Duct

Source: NCI 2008. Cancer Incidence and Mortality Patterns among Specific Asian and Pacific Islander Populations in the U.S.
http://seer.cancer.gov/publications/apicancer/index.html

5 Year Survival Rate

Not available at this time.

Death Rate

Cancer Death Rates per 100,000 - Men (1998-2002) *
CancerNative HawaiianSamoanNon-Hispanic White (NHW)Native Hawaiian/NHW RatioSamoan/NHW Ratio
All Sites263.7293.0241.31.11.2
Liver & IBD11.832.96.11.95.4
Lung87.774.072.21.21.0
Stomach14.140.95.82.47.1
Cancer Death Rates per 100,000 - Women (1998-2002) *
CancerNative HawaiianSamoanNon-Hispanic White (NHW)Native Hawaiian/NHW RatioSamoan/NHW Ratio
All Sites198.9209.3171.71.21.2
Breast33.536.227.81.21.3
Cervical5.2--2.42.2--
Liver & IBD6.4--2.72.4--
Stomach10.3--2.83.3--

Source: NCI 2008. Cancer Incidence and Mortality Patterns among Specific Asian and Pacific Islander Populations in the U.S.
http://seer.cancer.gov/publications/apicancer/index.html

1 Source: Hawai’i Health Data Warehouse [Accessed 07/29/2021]
http://hhdw.org/health-reports-data/category/cancer/mortality/

2 Source: Guam Cancer Facts and Figures, 2008-2012. Table 10.
https://u54.guamcrc.org/reports/


Last Edited: 08/26/2021