Alaska Native (AN) people experience higher incidence of, and mortality from, gastric cancer compared to other U.S. populations, . Compared to the general U.S. population, gastric cancer in AN people occurs at a younger age, is diagnosed at later stages, is more evenly distributed between the sexes, and is more frequently signet-ring or diffuse histology. It is known that the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection, a risk factor for gastric cancer, is high in AN people; however, high antimicrobial resistance combined with high reinfection rates in Alaska make treatment at the population level complex. In addition, health issues in AN people are uniquely challenging due to the extremely remote locations of many residents.
A multiagency workgroup hosted a symposium in Anchorage that brought internationally-recognized experts and local leaders together to evaluate issues around gastric cancer in the AN population. The overall goal of this symposium was to identify the best strategies to combat gastric cancer in the AN population through prevention and early diagnosis.