The incidence of different forms of cancer varies by race and ethnicity. American Indians (AI) and Alaskan Native (AN) children have the lowest cancer incidence among different races. White children has significantly higher incidence of cancer (173.21 per million) than African American (117.87 per million); Asian/Pacific Islander (131.43 per million), and AI/AN (97.32 per million)[1]. Moreover, New-Mexico American Indian children has lower incidence of cancer compared to Alaska Natives, but both share relative lower rate of lymphomas and CNS tumors, and higher rate of retinoblastoma when compared to white Americans [2]. The same findings were similarly presented in adult population with some exception for kidney cancer among the AI/AN population[3].

Various studies showed ethnic immunobilogical disparities between African Americans and white Americans, affecting post-solid organ transplant infection [4], and prostate cancer [5] outcome. The assessment of immunobiological disparity among pediatric patients of minor populations and its correlation with the differ cancer incidence and outcome is not expressed in the literature. My focus is to explore the immunobiological disparity among the New Mexico Native American children with cancer and correlate it with the treatment outcome.

Reference:

1. Li J, Thompson TD, Miller JW, et al. Cancer incidence among children and adolescents in the United States, 2001-2003. Pediatrics 2008:121(6):e1470-1477.

2. Lanier AP, Holck P, Ehrsam Day G, et al. Childhood cancer among Alaska Natives. Pediatrics 2003:112(5):e396.

3. Jemal A, Siegel R, Ward E, et al. Cancer statistics, 2009. CA Cancer J Clin 2009:59(4):225-249.

4. Pelletier SJ, Isaacs RB, Raymond DP, et al. Ethnic disparities in outcome from posttransplant infections. Shock 2004:22(3):197-203.

5. Wallace TA, Prueitt RL, Yi M, et al. Tumor immunobiological differences in prostate cancer between African-American and European-American men. Cancer Res 2008:68(3):927-936.