9 in 10 US Cancer Centers Face Shortage of at Least 1 Cancer Drug

Almost 60 percent reported a shortage of vinblastine, which is used to treat breast cancer and testicular cancer.

A woman shops in the pharmacy area of a Wal-Mart store in Mount Prospect, Ill., on Sept. 21, 2006. Tim Boyle/Getty Images

Shortages of cancer drugs plague the United States, impacting patient treatment and impeding progress of new therapies, according to a recent survey by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN).

Among the 28 cancer centers that took part in the survey, 89 percent continued to report shortages for at least one type of cancer medication, according to a June 26 NCCN press release.