Abstract
Cancer data relating to Indigenous people tend to be absent or of poor quality, making many Indigenous peoples statistically invisible. Indigenous peoples tend to have higher rates of cancers related to tobacco exposure, alcohol consumption, poor diet, and high body mass index. These are all expected relationships given the higher exposure of Indigenous peoples to these risk factors; however, these patterns of exposure are in turn related to societal and systemic determinants that can be traced to colonialism and racism. Rates of chronic oncogenic infections, particularly those that are related to poverty and over-crowding, tend to be higher in Indigenous populations; examples are Helicobacter pylori, and hepatitis B virus in regions where vaccination is not occurring. Toxic contamination of the environment has been linked to high cancer rates in some Indigenous populations, such as those living near nuclear test sites in the Pacific. Comprehensive, sustained efforts are needed to improve cancer outcomes for Indigenous peoples, centred around Indigenous leadership and participation.