University of SaskatchewanHARVEST
  • Login
  • Submit Your Work
  • About
    • About HARVEST
    • Guidelines
    • Browse
      • All of HARVEST
      • Communities & Collections
      • By Issue Date
      • Authors
      • Titles
      • Subjects
      • This Collection
      • By Issue Date
      • Authors
      • Titles
      • Subjects
    • My Account
      • Login
      JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
      View Item 
      • HARVEST
      • Electronic Theses and Dissertations
      • Graduate Theses and Dissertations
      • View Item
      • HARVEST
      • Electronic Theses and Dissertations
      • Graduate Theses and Dissertations
      • View Item

      Breast, cervical and colorectal cancer survival rates for northern Saskatchewan residents and First Nations

      Thumbnail
      View/Open
      Alvi_Riaz_Anwar_1999.pdf (6.518Mb)
      Date
      1999-12-06
      Author
      Alvi, Riaz Anwar
      Type
      Thesis
      Degree Level
      Masters
      Metadata
      Show full item record
      Abstract
      This descriptive study was done 1) to explore and describe the proportional distribution of breast, cervical and colorectal cancers by stage (a proxy measure of availability, access, and utilization of secondary prevention strategies) in northern Saskatchewan First Nations and non-First Nations in comparison to southern Saskatchewan First Nations and non-First Nations; 2) to assess the impact of stage and age on the survival patterns for these cancers in northerners and First Nations whose survival patterns have been shown by previous research to be equal or poorer in comparison to southerners. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were carried out to ascertain the impact of the different proportions of stage for each study group on survival. Stage at time of diagnosis is a proxy assessment of secondary prevention services, which include formal screening programs. Data for this study was obtained from the Saskatchewan Cancer Registry, which has been maintaining cancer data since 1932. Cancer stage at time of diagnosis information is complete in the registry for different years for each cancer site. Hence data for breast cancer was for the years 1970 to 1995; cervical cancer data for the years 1980 to 1995; colorectal cancer data for the years 1990 to 1995. The proportion of cancer cases for each site by TNM stage and age were compared among the four study groups. First Nation and northern populations were found to have a larger proportion of diagnoses at a later stage in comparison to the southern non-First Nation group. Using Cox's proportional hazards model, both stage and age at time of diagnosis were found to be significant predictors of survival for all study groups. Age and stage adjusted relative risks were calculated and found to be significant in comparison to the southern non-First Nation group for cancer of the breast (RR =1.81 P=0.013). For cervical cancer the relative risk of dying of cervical cancer for southern First Nations in comparison to southern non­-First Nations was found to be 1.38 but this was not statistically significant (p = 0.097). For colorectal cancer, the relative risk of dying of colorectal cancer was found to be better for northern First Nations in comparison to southern non-First Nations (RR = 0.59), however this was not statistically significant (p = 0.45). This study showed that despite adjusting for stage and age at time of diagnosis, there were still some unexplained differences in the survival pattern of northern First Nations, northern non-First Nations and southern First Nations in comparison to southern non-First Nations. Hypotheses as to what these unexplained differences are have been offered. These include differences in socio-economic status as well as availability, accessibility, attitudes towards and knowledge of secondary prevention strategies. Further study into these unexplained differences should be carried out.
      Degree
      Master of Science (M.Sc.)
      Department
      Community Health and Epidemiology
      Program
      Community Health and Epidemiology
      Committee
      Tan, Leonard; Senthilselvan, Ambikaipakan; Irvine, James
      Copyright Date
      December 1999
      URI
      http://hdl.handle.net/10388/etd-06202008-094940
      Subject
      socio-economic status
      cancer distribution
      survival patterns
      Collections
      • Graduate Theses and Dissertations
      University of Saskatchewan

      University Library

      The University of Saskatchewan's main campus is situated on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis.

      © University of Saskatchewan
      Contact Us | Disclaimer | Privacy