Dr. Birrer on Prevalence of Cervical Cancer in the United States

Michael Birrer, MD, PhD, director of Medical Gynecologic Oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital, discusses the prevalence of cervical cancer in the United States.

Cervical cancer is viewed as a rare tumor in the United States. There are about 8000 cases annually, with approximately 4800 deaths, Birrer says. Because of that, it is very difficult to get industry partners interested in the field for therapeutic developments. However, this disease requires funding and novel therapies for these patients.

From a worldwide perspective, there are several countries in which drugs will not be able to be developed in or have the funding for such agents. These are examples of the challenges ahead, he explains.