Screening-level assessment of cancer risk associated with ambient air exposure in Aamjiwnaang First Nation.

The manuscript reports findings from a screening-level assessment of cancer risk from outdoor air in Aamjiwnaang First Nation. Ambient air pollution can contribute to cardiovascular/respiratory diseases, and certain types of cancer. Certain communities may be at higher risk to the negative health impacts due to their geographical proximity to pollution sources. Outdoor air concentrations were mapped and the Lifetime Excess Cancer Risks (LECR) associated with long-term exposure to known carcinogens were estimated. LECR results for both benzene and 1,3-butadiene were above one per million. The LECR for benzene was 6.4 per million when the Health Canada slope factor was applied and 12.0 when using the US EPA. For 1,3-butadiene the LECR estimate was 8.8 per million. This work provides a better understanding of environmental exposures and potential associated cancer risks for residents in the Aamjiwnaang community and highlights the need for further air monitoring and a more detailed risk assessment.

Cancer in First Nations people in Ontario, Canada: Incidence and mortality, 1991 to 2010.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to measure cancer incidence and mortality rates of Registered First Nations people in Ontario and compare them with those of other people in Ontario from 1991 to 2010. DATA AND METHODS: The federal Indian Register, the Ontario Cancer Registry and the Registered Persons Database were linked to develop a cohort of First Nations people diagnosed with cancer in Ontario. Sex-and site-specific age-standardized cancer incidence and mortality rates, and selected trends over time, were calculated. Rate ratios (RRs) were used to compare rates in First Nations peoples with those of other people in Ontario. RESULTS: The First Nations cohort comprised 194,392 people, with 6,859 cancer diagnoses. First Nations people had higher rates for certain cancers than others in Ontario: lung (males RR 1.19; females RR 1.47), colorectal (males RR 1.36; females RR 1.34) and kidney (males RR1.95; females RR 2.23). While lung cancer rates rose in First Nations females (annual percent change [APC] +2.67), they fell at a similar rate (APC -2.28) in males. Cervical cancer rates fell (APC -9.53) and approached the rate among other females in Ontario. Kidney cancer rates increased in First Nations people. DISCUSSION: First Nations people in Ontario have higher incidence and mortality for certain cancers compared with other people in Ontario. However, the declines in cervical cancer rates in First Nations females and lung cancer rates in First Nations males illustrate the likely impact of Pap test uptake and smoking cessation programs. Community-led efforts to develop culturally appropriate prevention and screening programs are essential to further reduce cancer rates in First Nations people.

Cancer risk factors and screening in First Nations in Ontario. / Facteurs de risque et dépistage du cancer chez les Premières Nations en Ontario.

INTRODUCTION: A lack of identifiers in health administrative databases limits our understanding of the cancer burden in First Nations. This study compares cancer risk factors and screening between First Nations in Ontario (on and off reserve) and non-Aboriginal Ontarians using two unique health surveys. METHODS: We measured age-standardized prevalence estimates using the First Nations Regional Health Survey (RHS) Phase 2, 2008/10 (for First Nations on reserve) and the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), 2007-2013 (for First Nations off reserve and non-Aboriginal Ontarians). We used prevalence rate ratios (RR) and Pearson's chisquare tests for differences in proportions to compare estimates between First Nations (on and off reserve) and non-Aboriginal Ontarians. RESULTS: A higher proportion of First Nation men, women and adolescents on reserve smoked (RR = 1.97, 2.78 and 7.21 respectively) and were obese (RR = 1.73, 2.33 and 3.29 respectively) compared to their non-Aboriginal counterparts. Similar patterns were observed for First Nations off reserve. Frequent binge drinking was also more prevalent among First Nation men and women living on reserve (RR = 1.28 and 2.22, respectively) and off reserve (RR = 1.70 and 1.45, respectively) than non-Aboriginal Ontarians. First Nation men and women on reserve were about half as likely to consume fruit at least twice per day and vegetables at least twice per day compared to non-Aboriginal men and women (RR = 0.53 and 0.54, respectively). Pap test uptake was similar across all groups, while First Nation women on reserve were less likely to have had a mammogram in the last five years than non-Aboriginal women (RR = 0.85). CONCLUSION: First Nations, especially those living on reserve, have an increased risk for cancer and other chronic diseases compared to non-Aboriginal Ontarians. These results provide evidence to support policies and programs to reduce the future burden of cancer and other chronic diseases in First Nations in Ontario.

INTRODUCTION: L'absence d'identificateurs, dans les bases de données administratives sur la santé, nous empêche de bien comprendre le fardeau du cancer chez les Premières Nations. Notre étude compare les facteurs de risque et le dépistage du cancer chez les membres des Premières Nations en Ontario (vivant dans des réserves et hors réserves) et chez les Ontariens non autochtones, en s'appuyant sur deux enquêtes sur la santé. MÉTHODOLOGIE: L'absence d'identificateurs, dans les bases de données administratives sur la santé, nous empêche de bien comprendre le fardeau du cancer chez les Premières Nations. Notre étude compare les facteurs de risque et le dépistage du cancer chez les membres des Premières Nations en Ontario (vivant dans des réserves et hors réserves) et chez les Ontariens non autochtones, en s'appuyant sur deux enquêtes sur la santé. RÉSULTATS: Une proportion plus élevée d'hommes, de femmes et d'adolescents des Premières Nations vivant dans des réserves fumaient (RT = 1,97, 2,78 et 7,21 respectivement) et souffraient d'obésité (RT = 1,73, 2,33 et 3,29 respectivement), comparativement à leurs homologues non autochtones. Des tendances similaires ont été observées chez les membres des Premières Nations vivant hors réserves. La consommation excessive ponctuelle d'alcool fréquente était également plus répandue chez les hommes et les femmes des Premières Nations vivant dans des réserves (RT = 1,28 et 2,22, respectivement) et hors réserves (RT = 1,70 et 1,45, respectivement) que chez les Ontariens non autochtones. Les hommes et les femmes des Premières Nations vivant dans des réserves étaient deux fois moins susceptibles de consommer des fruits au moins deux fois par jour et des légumes au moins deux fois par jour que les hommes et les femmes non autochtones (RT = 0,53 et 0,54, respectivement). La participation au test de Pap était similaire dans tous les groupes, mais les femmes des Premières Nations étaient moins susceptibles que les femmes non autochtones (RT = 0,85) d'avoir subi une mammographie au cours des cinq années précédant l'enquête. CONCLUSION: Comparativement aux Ontariens non autochtones, les membres des Premières Nations, en particulier ceux qui vivent dans une réserve, présentent un risque accru de cancer et d'autres maladies chroniques. Ces résultats fournissent des éléments probants à l'appui de politiques et de programmes visant à réduire le fardeau futur du cancer et d'autres maladies chroniques chez les Premières Nations en Ontario.

A critical review of methods for assessing cancer survival disparities in indigenous population.

PURPOSE: An increasing cancer burden among indigenous populations has led to a growing literature about survival disparities between indigenous and nonindigenous persons. We aim to describe and appraise methods used to measure cancer survival in indigenous persons in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. METHODS: We searched Medline, Web of Science, and EMBASE for articles published between 1990 and 2015 that estimated survival in populations indigenous to one of these four countries. We gathered information about data sources, analytical methods, and the extent to which threats to validity were discussed. RESULTS: The search retrieved 83 articles. The most common approach to survival analysis was cause-specific survival (n = 49). Thirty-eight articles measured all-cause survival and 11 measured excess mortality attributable to cancer (relative survival). Three sources of information bias common to all studies (ethnic misclassification, incomplete case ascertainment, and incomplete death ascertainment) were acknowledged in a minority of articles. CONCLUSIONS: The methodological considerations we present here are shared with studies of cancer survival across other subpopulations. We urge future researchers on this and related topics to clearly describe their data sources, to justify analytic choices, and to fully discuss the potential impact of those choices on the results and interpretation.