The women’s oncology market is poised for significant growth, but persistent gaps in funding, innovation and patient access continue to hinder progress, according to a new study from PwC. report.
The PwC report focuses on cancers specific to women, including breast, ovarian, endometrial, cervical, vulvar and vaginal cancers. The report explains that in the United States alone, breast and gynecologic cancers account for more than 400,000 new diagnoses each year. The global market for women-specific cancers is estimated at $65-75 billion and is expected to reach $100-$110 billion by 2030. This represents an annual increase of 7-9% and relates to women’s oncology solutions spanning therapies, devices, diagnostics and care delivery.
Breast cancer has received significant investment, while many gynecological cancers have been neglected by investors and researchers. According to 2025 data, ovarian cancer received about $43,000 in research funding from the National Institutes of Health per death, compared to almost $70,000 for breast cancer.
“The result is a clear opportunity for women’s cancers overall. Significant opportunities for improvement exist throughout the patient journey, from earlier identification of risks to faster diagnoses, targeted treatments and better long-term disease management,” PwC said. “There are gaps to be filled at every step. »
The biggest opportunity in women’s oncology lies in pharmaceuticals, which account for almost 70% of the market value, due to “high disease burden, strong reimbursement dynamics and scalable therapeutic innovation,” according to the report. Growth is mainly driven by targeted therapies, which replace or complement traditional chemotherapy and enable earlier and more personalized treatment.
Provider and care delivery models also represent an area with many investment opportunities, particularly with the rejuvenation of women with cancer. Survival is also becoming an area of focus as survival rates improve.
Early detection remains one of the greatest unmet needs in women’s oncology, particularly for gynecologic cancers such as ovarian cancer. The report highlights innovations including liquid biopsies, AI-based diagnostics, mobile screening programs and at-home testing as promising ways to improve early diagnosis and access to care.
The report also explains that investments in women-specific cancers have been “sustained and substantial”. There were nearly 400 private funding events worth more than $6.5 billion between 2020 and 2025, with devices and diagnostics receiving the largest share of transaction volume.
“These investments are important because they help accelerate science,” PwC said. “Advancements in breast cancer follow decades of sustained research and commercial investment. As capital increasingly flows toward gynecologic cancers, there is growing potential to replicate this success in these critical areas where unmet need remains high.”
There are also future implications for various stakeholders in the healthcare sector. For example, pharmaceutical companies have the opportunity to use AI to accelerate biomarker discovery and clinical development in gynecological cancers. Providers must develop longitudinal care models to support the patient from treatment to survivorship. Additionally, the report calls on payers and employers to expand coverage for evidence-based early cancer detection.
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