National Native American Breast Cancer Survivor's Network

The Native American Breast Cancer Survivors Support Network DAMDl7-99- 1-9310 is a three year-project supported by the Department of Defense. This project is being conducted by Native American Cancer Research in collaboration and partnership with the National Indian Health Board. The purpose of this project is to improve the survival from breast cancer and quality of life after being diagnosed with breast cancer for both the patient and loved ones of the cancer patient. The study objectives follow a using key and well recognized Native American cancer leaders from geographically diverse regions of the country, identify and recruit Native American breast cancer patients into the survivors network and database and b refine, and evaluate the survivors database to determine patterns of disease and patterns of care experienced by Native American breast cancer survivors. The intended population is Native American breast cancer patients, both genders, ages 20 and older, living anywhere on the North American continent. Preliminary findings include documentation that Native breast cancer survivors are not receiving quality care, less than one-third have access to insurance and thus access to improved quality of care and standard protocols used with other survivors are ineffective with Native cancer survivors.