Biomedical subjects

C R Key

Publications and source records attributed to C R Key.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1996

Decreasing rates of cervical cancer among American Indians and Hispanics in New Mexico (United States).

Minority women in New Mexico (United States)--including American Indian and Hispanic women--have shown disproportionately high incidence rates of invasive cervical cancer during the 1960s and 1970s. Several public health programs in New Mexico were directed toward early detection of cervical cellular abnormalities, particularly targeting the state's minority women. To evaluate the effectiveness of these programs, we examined the New Mexico Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data collected from 1969-92, and calculated average annual, age-specific, and age-adjusted incidence rates by ethnic group (American Indian, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic White) for five-year time intervals. We also calculated age-adjusted mortality rates for cervical cancer in the same ethnic groups using state vital records. Age-adjusted incidence rates for invasive cervical cancer show substantial temporal decreases, especially for minority women in the state. The age-adjusted incidence rate decreased by 66 percent, from 30.3 to 10.3 per 100,000 for American Indian women, and by 61 percent, from 26.1 to 10.2 per 100,000 for Hispanic women. A stage shift to earlier stages of cervical neoplasia occurred over the study period, with a substantially higher proportion of in situ compared with invasive cancers diagnosed in the most recent cf the most remote time period. The ratio of incidence rates of in situ to invasive cancers changed dramatically for both American Indian and Hispanic women. Cervical cancer mortality rates decreased steadily among Hispanic women from 1958 to 1992; the decrease among American Indian women was less stable and fluctuated due to small numbers. Ongoing targeted screening programs should help to reduce cervical cancer incidence and mortality further in New Mexico.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Improving survival for patients with prostate cancer diagnosed in the prostate-specific antigen ERA.

OBJECTIVES: Although prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening has not been demonstrated to reduce prostate cancer mortality in the clinical trial or population setting, the use of PSA for screening increased during the early 1990's. A clinical trial is currently underway to test the efficacy of PSA screening; however, the results will not be available for at least 10 years. To address concerns about the effectiveness of PSA screening in the near term, population-based assessments of PSA screenings are needed. To reduce mortality, PSA screening must first produce improved survival. In New Mexico, increased screening was associated with a stage migration from distant to earlier stages and an increase in 5-year relative survival, suggesting that PSA screening may be effective. METHODS: To further investigate early indicators of the effectiveness of PSA screening in New Mexico, we examined temporal trends in survival for the period 1983-1992, using proportional-hazard models to estimate the risk of death by year of diagnosis, adjusted for age, stage, grade, ethnicity, and initial treatment. RESULTS: We found the risk of death following the diagnosis of local or regional-stage prostate cancer decreased in the 1987-1988 (relative-risk [RR] = 0.9 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.8, 1.1]), 1989-1990 [RR = 0.9 [0.8, 1.0]), and 1991-1992 (RR =0.7 [0.6, 0.9]) periods compared with the 1983-1984 period. Men treated with radical prostatectomy were at increased risk between 1985 and 1990, compared with those treated in the 1983-1984 period. However, for men diagnosed and treated in the 1991-1992 period, risks were lower than in the 1983-1984 period (RR =0.8 [0.4, 1.5]). CONCLUSIONS: The earlier stage at diagnosis and the improved survival during the period of increased PSA screening are consistent with changes expected from an effective screening test and treatment modality.

Age Distribution↗

PubMed1996

Ethnic variation in prostate cancer survival in New Mexico.

Prostate cancer survival varies markedly by ethnicity. American Indians and blacks have the lowest 5-year relative survival among ethnic groups in the U.S. In New Mexico, relative survival for prostate cancer is lower for ethnic minority groups than for non-Hispanic whites. To examine factors underlying ethnic differences in prostate cancer survival in New Mexico, we analyzed Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program data collected by the New Mexico Tumor Registry from 1983 to 1992. Unadjusted relative risk (RR) of death after prostate cancer diagnosis was greater for Hispanics [RR = 1.1; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.0, 1.2], American Indians (RR = 1.4; 95% CI, 1.2, 1.5), and blacks (RR = 1.5; 95% CI, 1.2, 1.7) than for non-Hispanic whites. After adjusting for age, stage, histological grade, year of diagnosis, and initial treatment, the risk for Hispanics (RR = 1.0; 95% CI, 0.9, 1.1), American Indians (RR = 1.0; 95% CI, 0.9, 1.1), and non-Hispanic whites was comparable. Although based on small numbers, adjusted risk ratios among blacks remained elevated (RR = 1.2; 95% CI, 0.9, 1.6), due in part to lower survival during the first 12 months after diagnosis (RR = 2.0; 95% CI, 1.2, 3.3) and poorer survival following radical prostatectomy (RR = 4.2; 95% CI, 1.3, 13). These findings suggest that poorer survival for Hispanics and American Indians may be explained by delayed detection and differences in treatment.

Aged↗

PubMed1996

Breast cancer survival among New Mexico Hispanic, American Indian, and non-Hispanic white women (1973-1992).

A study of breast cancer survival was conducted among New Mexico Hispanic and non-Hispanic white women and New Mexico and Arizona American Indian women diagnosed between 1973 and 1992. The goals were to determine whether, after adjusting for first treatment and the extent of disease at diagnosis, American Indian and Hispanic women had poorer survival than non-Hispanic whites and, if survival had improved over time, whether comparable improvements had been made for the three racial/ethnic groups. Five-year relative survival rates were calculated, and a Cox proportional hazards model was constructed to compare survival between races/ethnicities, adjusting for first treatment and the extent of disease at diagnosis. Findings indicate that during 1983-1992, breast cancer was more commonly detected at a local stage for all three groups compared to 1973-1982. Five-year relative survival improved for non-Hispanic white and American Indian women with local or regional disease, but the improvement was statistically significant only for non-Hispanic white women and for American Indian women with local disease. Despite earlier stages at diagnosis, Hispanic females showed less improvement in overall or stage-specific survival than non-Hispanic whites. The Cox model indicated that American Indian women experienced poorer survival than non-Hispanic whites during both time periods. Survival of Hispanic women with breast cancer was comparable to non-Hispanic whites during 1973-1982 but was significantly worse during 1983-1992. The significance of this lower survival is amplified by increasing breast cancer incidence among New Mexico Hispanics and American Indians.

Breast Neoplasms↗

PubMed1996

Ovarian cancer incidence and mortality in American Indian, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic white women in New Mexico.

Although ethnic and racial differences in ovarian cancer incidence and mortality have been reported worldwide, few published data have addressed the epidemiology of ovarian cancer among U.S. American Indians and Hispanics. We reviewed ovarian cancer incidence and survival data from New Mexico's population-based cancer registry collected from 1969 to 1992, and examined state vital records data for ovarian cancer deaths collected from 1958 to 1992, focusing on ethnic differences in occurrence and outcomes of ovarian malignancies. Non-Hispanic white women had age-adjusted incidence rates that were slightly higher (13.3/100,000) than rates for American Indians (11.4) and Hispanics (10.7) over the 24-year period. Ovarian cancer mortality rates were also higher for non-Hispanic whites than for minority women. Neither incidence rates nor mortality rates for ovarian cancer improved over the span of the study period. In addition, the stage at diagnosis did not shift substantially over time for any of the ethnic groups studied, nor did the distribution of various histopathological types shift proportionately. Only slight improvement was observed in 5-year survival over the time period of the study, with greater gains among younger (50 years old or less) versus older women. Ethnic differences in ovarian cancer incidence and mortality were apparent in our population-based data. However, our analysis indicated no reduction in ovarian cancer incidence or mortality in our state over the past quarter century and only slight improvement in 5-year survival.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed1995

Breast mammographic pattern: a concatenation of confounding and breast cancer risk factors.

A mammographic pattern of > 25% radiodensity is associated with increased risk for breast cancer. Mammographic pattern is influenced by age, body weight, reproductive factors, and race/ethnicity. The interaction among these factors in predicting breast radiographic pattern, and their association with the presence of histologic markers of increased risk of breast cancer, is poorly defined. To elucidate the relations among epidemiologic, radiographic, and histologic markers of breast cancer risk, the authors studied these factors in an unselected forensic autopsy series, accumulated between 1978 and 1983, of 486 women aged 15-98 years at death. Older age and/or postmenopausal status was the strongest predictor of radiolucent breast pattern. Obesity, defined as a Quetelet index (weight(kg)/height(m)2) of > 25, and large breast size were also highly significant predictors of breast radiolucency. Factors related to parity were not significant predictors of breast parenchymal pattern. Native American race was an independent predictor of breast radiolucency in this population. A dense parenchymal pattern was associated with increased prevalence of marked cystic change and the presence of duct epithelial hyperplasia in women under age 35. The results support the association of breast radiodensity with ethnic/racial, reproductive, and histologic factors predictive of cancer risk. However, this association is overshadowed by the effects of obesity and aging or menopause.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1995

Male genital cancers.

BACKGROUND: The estimated 165,000 cancers of the male genital system that will occur in the United States during 1993 represent one fourth of the expected 600,000 newly diagnosed cancers in American males for the year. METHODS: Data were collected by the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program. This paper examines histologic data collected by the SEER program from 1973-1987 and focuses on incidence, stage at diagnosis, and survival for the dominant histologic types of cancer that occur in the four major topographic divisions of the male genital system: prostate gland, testis, penis, and scrotum. Some less common histologic types within each organ are also discussed. RESULTS: The incidence of male genital cancer has increased rapidly over the period of study. Cancers of the prostate, most of which are adenocarcinomas, represent more than 92% of all male genital cancers. Among adolescents and young men, germ cell cancers of the testis predominate, but decline rapidly in occurrence after 40 years of age. Blacks had higher incidence rates for prostate cancer than whites; however, the situation was reversed for testicular cancer. Survival increased dramatically for testicular cancer. Cancers of the penis and scrotum of any histologic type are uncommon in the United States. CONCLUSIONS: The increased incidence of prostate adenocarcinomas and testis germ cell tumors indicates the need for further etiologic studies as a basis for prevention efforts.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1995

Trends in alcohol-related mortality among New Mexico's American Indians, Hispanics, and non-Hispanic whites.

Reduction of alcohol-related mortality is a national goal for health promotion and disease prevention. We conducted this analysis to determine whether trends in New Mexico's Hispanics, non-Hispanic Whites, and American Indians were consistent with national trends in alcohol-related mortality, and whether differences in drinking patterns could account for racial and ethnic differences in rates. Age-adjusted, race-specific, and ethnic-specific alcohol-related mortality rates and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for 5-year periods for 1958-1991 using New Mexico vital statistics data. We estimated the prevalence of acute and chronic at-risk drinking behaviors and abstinence from data collected by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) for the period 1986-1992. We found that alcohol-related mortality rates varied substantially by race, ethnicity, sex, age, and calendar period. American Indians had the highest rates for both sexes. Rates increased sharply from the period 1958-1962 until the late 1970s and the early 1980s, and then began to decrease rapidly. However, during the most recent decade, the rates have followed contrasting trends in the three ethnic and racial groups. Although rates have continued to decline among non-Hispanic Whites, rates for Hispanics and American Indians have not declined, and still remain substantially higher than rates during the 1958-1962 period. Differences in at-risk drinking behaviors reported to the BRFSS do not explain the contrast in race-specific and ethnic-specific mortality rates. Although progress has been made in reducing national per capita alcohol consumption and alcohol-related mortality, certain high-risk racial and ethnic groups may not be sharing in the progress.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Contrasting trends of prostate cancer incidence and mortality in New Mexico's Hispanics, non-Hispanic whites, American Indians, and blacks.

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer has increased in epidemic proportions during the 1980s. Although marked differences in ethnic and racial temporal trends for prostate cancer have been observed both in the United States and internationally, the trends in Hispanics and American Indians have not been described extensively. METHODS: To characterize the occurrence of prostate cancer among non-Hispanic whites, Hispanics, American Indians, and blacks in New Mexico, the authors examined cancer incidence data collected by the New Mexico Tumor Registry for the period 1969-1991 and mortality data collected by the New Mexico Bureau of Vital Statistics for the period 1958-1991. RESULTS: From 1969 to 1991, age-adjusted incidence rates increased from 74.4 to 139.1 per 100,000 (87%) among non-Hispanic whites and from 54.0 to 94.7 (75%) among Hispanics. American Indians had the lowest incidence rates of all groups. Over the same period, incidence rates for local-stage cancers increased by 93% and 81% among non-Hispanic whites and Hispanics, respectively, but were stable for American Indians and blacks, whereas rates for regional-stage cancers increased sharply. Incidence rates of distant-stage disease decreased among non-Hispanic whites from 1969 through 1991. In contrast, incidence rates of distant-stage disease among Hispanics increased through 1982. From 1983 to date, age-adjusted mortality rates of prostate cancer decreased among all groups except Hispanics. CONCLUSION: The patterns of incidence and mortality are consistent with a stage migration. The recent decrease in age-adjusted prostate cancer mortality rates for non-Hispanic whites is consistent with that expected following the decrease in distant-stage disease incidence. Differential access to medical care and prostate cancer screening may account for these trends.

Black or African American↗

PubMed1994

A population-based autopsy study of sudden, unexpected deaths from natural causes among persons 5 to 39 years old during a 12-year period.

All unexpected deaths in New Mexico from 1977 to 1988 were reviewed. By statute each such death must be reported to the Office of the Medical Examiner (OMI) and according to institutional policy autopsied even when death is presumed to be from natural causes. From this group the 650 index cases that form the basis of this report were obtained. The crude rate of sudden, unexpected death among New Mexico residents 5 to 39 years old during the study period was 6.6/100,000 persons at risk. As documented by autopsy, the underlying cause of death in a majority of these cases (53.4%) was related to cardiovascular disease and alcoholism. Male persons in general are at increased risk for sudden, unexpected death, and American Indian and black male persons are at greater risk than their Anglo and Hispanic counterparts. American Indians account for a disproportionate share of the unexpected deaths resulting from alcoholism, and black male persons are at particular risk for unexpected death resulting from cardiovascular diseases. This report emphasizes the importance of life style and diet in the well-being of persons 5 to 39 years old.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1994

Breast cancer among Hispanics, American Indians and non-Hispanic whites in New Mexico.

Variation in breast cancer occurrence among women in New Mexico's three major ethnic groups has not previously been assessed. The address the descriptive epidemiology of breast cancer in New Mexico Hispanics, American Indians, and non-Hispanic whites, we calculated incidence rates from population-based registry data covering 1969-1987 and mortality data collected from 1958 to 1987. Breast cancer incidence and mortality rates for New Mexico's non-Hispanic white women were comparable to those for white women nationwide. In contrast, American Indian women had extremely low incidence and mortality rates for breast cancer; rates for Hispanics were intermediate, but well below those for non-Hispanic white women throughout the study period. Pronounced temporal trends in breast cancer occurrence were evident among Hispanic women, with the incidence rate increasing by 56% over the 19 years of available data and the mortality rate increasing by nearly 100% over 30 years. Age-specific incidence and mortality rates increased at all ages for successive birth cohorts of Hispanic women. For non-Hispanic whites, increasing incidence and mortality rates were also observed, but the increments were much smaller, approximately 15% for incidence and 30% for mortality. Our data show substantial ethnic differences in breast cancer incidence and mortality in New Mexico, suggesting the need for aetiological investigations to assist in controlling this disease.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Trends in prostate cancer incidence and mortality in New Mexico are consistent with an increase in effective screening.

The increasing occurrence of prostate cancer in the United States has led to recommendations for routine prostate cancer screening in men aged 50 years and older. Although present methods of prostate cancer screening have not been shown to reduce mortality, screening using digital rectal examination or prostate-specific antigen does detect tumors at earlier stages. To assess whether trends in incidence and mortality rates are consistent with an increase in effective screening in New Mexico, we examined prostate cancer incidence rates calculated from data collected by the New Mexico Tumor Registry for the years 1969-1991, and mortality rates calculated from data collected by the New Mexico Bureau of Vital Statistics for the years 1958-1991. Population-based measures of prostate cancer screening frequency in New Mexico are not available for the period of this study; however, the proportion of prostate cancers detected by screening, as documented by a review of records from a random sample of prostate cancer cases, increased 3-fold, from 13% during the 1969-1972 period to 41% in the 1988-1991 period. During the period of study, age-adjusted incidence rates increased from 66.3 to 122.3/100,000 men. Stage migration from distant to earlier stages was apparent in the increase in the proportion of early stage cancers from 77.5 to 85.5%, and the decrease of distant stage cancers from 21.2 to 9.8%. Stage-specific incidence rates increased for local (87.3%) and regional stage cancers (283.0%), and decreased for distant stage cancers (16.0%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗

PubMed1993

Cancer mortality among New Mexico's Hispanics, American Indians, and non-Hispanic Whites, 1958-1987.

BACKGROUND: Racial and ethnic differences in cancer incidence and mortality are well documented. New Mexico's ethnically and racially diverse population provides an opportunity to further examine ethnic and racial differences in cancer occurrence. PURPOSE: To address differences in cancer mortality among the state's Hispanics, American Indians, and non-Hispanic Whites, we examined mortality data collected from 1958 through 1987. METHODS: Sex and age-specific and age-adjusted cancer mortality rates were calculated for all sites and specific sites for American Indians, Hispanics, and non-Hispanic Whites. From 1958 through 1987, deaths due to malignant neoplasms were coded according to the International Classification of Diseases. The categories of malignant neoplasms investigated were chosen, in part, to minimize bias due to changes in disease classification. Ethnicity was assigned by the Bureau of Vital Statistics on the basis of information on death certificates. Denominators were derived from the censuses of 1960, 1970, 1980, and 1990. Age-standardized mortality rates were calculated for 5-year periods (1958-1962, 1963-1967, 1968-1972, 1973-1977, 1978-1982, and 1983-1987), with the 1970 U.S. population as the standard. We also examined age-specific rates by time period. RESULTS: Within each of New Mexico's ethnic groups, overall cancer mortality increased over the 30-year time span, and the cancer mortality rates were greater for males than for females. For most major cancer sites, mortality rates for New Mexico's non-Hispanic Whites were comparable with data for U.S. Whites. American Indians had the lowest rates for most sites, whereas cancer mortality rates for most sites among Hispanics were intermediate between the two other groups. However, Hispanics and American Indians had higher mortality rates for cancers of the gallbladder, cervix, and stomach compared with non-Hispanic Whites throughout most of the study period. Several other cancer sites showed major mortality rate differences among these racial and ethnic groups, including cancers of the colon, rectum, breast, bladder, lung, ovary, and uterus. We also observed strong temporal trends of increasing or decreasing mortality rates for several cancer sites. CONCLUSIONS: Race and ethnicity have been strong determinants of cancer mortality in New Mexico. Within the span of one generation, cancer mortality has changed substantially for some cancer sites in each of the population groups studied. IMPLICATIONS: These mortality data underscore the need for appropriately designed etiologic studies of cancer in diverse racial and ethnic groups. Such etiologic studies could provide new insights concerning risk factors for cancer and useful data for developing race- and ethnic-specific cancer control strategies.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

Diabetes mortality among New Mexico's American Indian, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic white populations, 1958-1987.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the diabetes-related mortality rates among New Mexico's American Indians, Hispanics, and non-Hispanic whites over a 30-yr period. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Death certificates were used to identify diabetes as an underlying cause of death by ethnic group in New Mexico during each 5-yr period from 1958 through 1987. The age-adjusted rates were calculated by ethnic group and sex, and temporal trends were examined. Comparison was made to U.S. white age-adjusted rates during the same time period. RESULTS: Age-adjusted diabetes mortality rates for American Indians and Hispanics increased throughout the 30-yr period, and far exceeded rates for New Mexico non-Hispanic whites and U.S. whites by the 1983-1987 time period. The rates increased most dramatically among the state's American Indians, increasing 550% among women and 249% among men. Hispanic women and men experienced increases of 112 and 140%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: New Mexico's American Indian and Hispanic populations have higher diabetes mortality rates than non-Hispanic whites, and American Indian mortality rates have risen dramatically over the 30-yr period included in our study. Although the high prevalence of diabetes in American Indians and Hispanics is a major contributor to these rates, other factors may also influence the reported mortality rates.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1992

Changing trends in mortality among New Mexico's American Indians, 1958-1987.

Health care availability and living conditions have improved substantially for American Indians in New Mexico over the past quarter century. To investigate the impact of these changes on health statistics, we examined mortality data collected from 1958 to 1987 for American Indians in the state. We analysed the data for all causes of death combined and for specific causes, and compared these data with figures for nonHispanic whites in the state. Age-adjusted mortality rates were calculated for 5-year periods for each ethnic-gender group, using denominators from US Census reports. Mortality rates for all causes combined did not improve significantly for American Indian males from 1958 to 1987, although the rates for American Indian females showed an 8% decline. Infectious disease-related mortality rates for American Indians decreased dramatically over the 30-year study period; however, mortality rates for cancer and diabetes increased over the 30-year period. Mortality rates for injuries and alcoholism among American Indians increased greatly from 1958 to 1977 and then declined later in the study period, but they were consistently higher than rates for whites. The study indicates that several chronic diseases remain of major public health importance for New Mexico's American Indian population.

Cause of Death↗

PubMed1992

Improvement in mammography interpretation skills in a community radiology practice after dedicated teaching courses: 2-year medical audit of 38,633 cases.

The authors conducted a complete audit of results of 38,633 mammographic examinations performed by 12 general radiologists during a 2-year period with a computerized reporting system. During this period, 11 group members attended 17 dedicated mammography courses. Audit results were analyzed for each radiologist and the entire group. In the 2nd year, the number of breast cancers diagnosed increased 50% (from 121 to 181), with a 6.5% increase in patient volume. Sensitivity increased from 80% to 87%, and there was no change in the positive predictive value of 32%. Median tumor size and node positivity decreased. Most major variables of population and technical factors were unchanged. Diagnostic approach was altered during the 2nd year, as shown by a 50% increase in the use of spot compression, magnification views, and sonography. Analysis of each radiologist's performance before and after attending mammography courses showed similar changes. These data suggest that dedicated mammography courses can help improve radiologists' performance and alter their interpretive approach.

Breast Neoplasms↗

PubMed1992

Cervical cancer incidence and mortality in New Mexico's Hispanics, American Indians, and non-Hispanic whites.

High rates of cervical cancer were reported in New Mexico in the early 1970s, with especially high rates for minority women. We examined data collected from 1970 to 1987 for invasive cervical cancer and cervical carcinoma in situ for New Mexico's Hispanic, American Indian, and non-Hispanic white women to determine whether changes had occurred in cervical cancer rates since earlier reports. To further characterize the epidemiology of cervical cancer in New Mexico, we reviewed state vital statistics for cervical cancer deaths occurring between 1958 and 1987. From 1970 to 1987, the incidence for invasive cervical cancer among Hispanic (18.9 per 100,000 person-years) and American Indian women (22.0 per 100,000 person-years) was about double that for non-Hispanic white women (10.3 per 100,000). The incidence in each ethnic group decreased over time for both invasive cancer and carcinoma in situ when the data were examined by 2 time periods (1970 to 1978 and 1979 to 1987). These decreases were most dramatic for invasive cervical cancer. Cervical cancer-related death rates for Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites also decreased from 1958 to 1987. Although our data reflect declines in cervical cancer rates during the study period, further rate decreases, especially for minority women, remain an important public health goal in New Mexico.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

Survival of children and adolescents with acute lymphoid leukemia. A study of American Indians and Hispanic and non-Hispanic whites treated in New Mexico (1969 to 1986).

During the period 1969 to 1986, 196 American Indian and Hispanic and non-Hispanic white children and adolescents (ages, 0 to 19 years) were treated for acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL) at the University of New Mexico affiliated institutions. There were 28 American Indians (14%), 91 Hispanic whites (46%), and 77 non-Hispanic whites (39%). Median survivals for patients undergoing antileukemic therapy ranged from 8 months for American Indian boys to 140 months for non-Hispanic white girls. American Indian boys had the highest initial median leukocyte count (WBC) at 23.8 X 10(9)/l. Compliance problems occurred most commonly among American Indian children of both genders. Other clinical and pathologic features evaluated in this study were distributed similarly among the ethnic gender groups. Multi-variate analysis revealed that independent prognostic variables for survival included initial WBC, age, and gender. Ethnicity and compliance problems were possible, but confounded, prognostic variables. To the authors' knowledge this represents the most comprehensive study to date of ALL in American Indian patients.

Adolescent↗