Cancer among the Sami - A review on the Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish Sami populations

Abstract

Objectives. The Sami are the Indigenous people of the northernmost parts of Sweden, Finland and Norway, and of the Kola Peninsula of Russia. The present review summarizes the main results from studies on cancer morbidity and mortality among the Sami and discusses these results in relation to exposure of known risk factors. Study Design. Literature review. Methods. A systematic search over the time period 1966-2008 for relevant articles was conducted on MEDLINE. Updates and recalculations of some of the results from the original data were also done. Results. Nine articles whose main focus is on cancer incidence or mortality among the Sami were identified. In all studies, the overall incidence of cancer or cancer mortality was lower among the Sami in comparison with the national populations. The differences were less striking in relation to regional reference populations, but the rates were still significantly lower for all populations of Sami, except for Swedish Sami women. Beyond the general trend of a lower cancer incidence among the Sami, there were some notable differences between the various Sami subpopulations. Conclusions. The risk of developing and dying from cancer is low among the Sami. A life-style that includes cancer-protective factors, such as certain dietary components and physical activity, is the most likely explanation for the lower incidence of cancer among the Sami.