Government funding for uterine cancer research lags behind rising incidence

The second largest government funding source for cancer research is the Department of Defense (DOD). The Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program (PRCRP) is the funding mechanism for uterine cancer under the DOD. Our objective was to compile cancer research funding granted through the PRCRP by organ site and stratify by incidence of disease to highlight uterine cancer funding.

To gather funding information from the PRCRP, a thorough review was done of the CDMRP website, where records of grants funded and the total budgets for the PRCRP had to be manually abstracted from archives.

Uterine cancer has the second highest incidence of these areas (29.4 per 100,000 in 2021), after colorectal cancer (CRC) (37.5 per 100,000 in 2021). CRC has been funded the longest at 15 years. Mesothelioma, for comparison, has the lowest incidence (0.7 per 100,000 in 2021) and has been funded for 14 years. CRC, with the highest incidence and the longest funded area, has received a total of ∼$60 million through the PRCRP. Mesothelioma, with the lowest incidence and the second longest funded area has received ∼$25 million. Uterine cancer, with the second highest incidence, and one of the shortest funded areas, has received only ∼$14 million. Additionally, the incidence of uterine cancer is rising and has seen a 14.8% increase in incidence from 2009 to 2021 whereas CRC has seen a 15.0% decrease.

This analysis highlights a proportionate inequity in government funding for uterine cancer when considering the rising incidence of this disease.