Cancer of unknown primary origin: Difference between revisions

Jump to navigation Jump to search
No edit summary
No edit summary
Line 23: Line 23:


Recent advances in diagnostic techniques have improved doctors’ ability to eventually find the primary site, even when the original diagnosis is CUP.
Recent advances in diagnostic techniques have improved doctors’ ability to eventually find the primary site, even when the original diagnosis is CUP.
ancer can begin in any organ or tissue of the body. The primary, or original, tumor is usually named for the part of the body or the type of tissue in which the cancer begins. The disease can spread (metastasize) from the primary tumor and form metastatic tumors in other parts of the body. For example, breast cancer cells can metastasize to the lungs and cause the growth of a new tumor. When this happens, the tumor in the lung is called metastatic breast cancer because it is composed of breast cancer cells, not lung cancer cells.
Each year in the United States, several thousand people are diagnosed with metastatic cancer whose primary cancer site is not known. When the primary site cannot be identified, this disease may be called carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP). Most often, the metastatic cancer is first found in the lymph nodes, liver, lung, or bone.
In recent years, microscopic and other diagnostic techniques have improved dramatically. For this reason, doctors can now determine the primary site in about four out of five cases first diagnosed as CUP. In some cases, the part of the body where cancer cells are first found helps the doctor decide which diagnostic tests will be most helpful. Doctors also have other clues that help them find the primary site:
    * The pattern of spread may suggest the location of the primary site. When the metastatic cancer is found in the upper part of the body, the original site is likely to be above the diaphragm (the thin muscle under the lungs that separates the chest from the abdomen) at sites such as the lung and breast. If the metastatic cancer appears first in the lower part of the body, the primary cancer is likely to be at sites below the diaphragm, such as the pancreas and liver.
    * The type of cell found in the metastatic cancer can also provide clues about the hidden primary site.
Most patients with an unidentified primary tumor have a cell type called adenocarcinoma. The term adenocarcinoma refers to cancer that begins in the cells in glandular structures in the lining or covering of certain organs in the body. Common primary sites for adenocarcinomas include the lung, pancreas, breast, prostate, stomach, liver, and colon.
When the cancer cells are poorly differentiated (that is, they look very different from normal cells when viewed under a microscope), the cancer may be either a lymphoma or a germ cell tumor. Lymphomas begin in the lymphatic system (a grouping of lymph glands and lymph vessels found throughout the body that participates in the defense against attack from bacteria, viruses, or other agents); germ cell tumors usually begin in the ovaries and testes.
In patients in whom the primary cancer is eventually found, the lung and pancreas are the most common primary cancer sites. CUP also may be traced to the breast, prostate, colon, or rectum as the primary site.
Sometimes, however, even when doctors use very sophisticated methods to try to identify the primary site, the part of the body the cancer cells came from cannot be determined. About 2 to 4 percent of all cancer patients have a cancer whose primary site is never found.
Identifying the primary tumor site is important because knowing its location and type often helps doctors plan the best treatment. Treatment that is specific to the suspected type of cancer is likely to be more effective. Still, when diagnostic tests have not identified the primary site, doctors must decide whether the potential benefits of more extensive testing outweigh a patient’s discomfort and the financial costs.
CUP is a term that refers to many different cancers. For that reason, treatment depends on where the cancer is found, what the cancer cells look like under a microscope, and the patient’s age and overall physical condition. No method is standard, but chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, and surgery may be used alone or in combination to treat patients who have CUP. Even when the cancer is unlikely to be cured, treatment may help the patient live longer or improve the patient’s quality of life. However, the potential side effects of the treatment must be considered along with the potential benefits.
{{SIB}}
{{SIB}}



Revision as of 19:51, 9 January 2009

Cancer of unknown primary origin

WikiDoc Resources for Cancer of unknown primary origin

Articles

Most recent articles on Cancer of unknown primary origin

Most cited articles on Cancer of unknown primary origin

Review articles on Cancer of unknown primary origin

Articles on Cancer of unknown primary origin in N Eng J Med, Lancet, BMJ

Media

Powerpoint slides on Cancer of unknown primary origin

Images of Cancer of unknown primary origin

Photos of Cancer of unknown primary origin

Podcasts & MP3s on Cancer of unknown primary origin

Videos on Cancer of unknown primary origin

Evidence Based Medicine

Cochrane Collaboration on Cancer of unknown primary origin

Bandolier on Cancer of unknown primary origin

TRIP on Cancer of unknown primary origin

Clinical Trials

Ongoing Trials on Cancer of unknown primary origin at Clinical Trials.gov

Trial results on Cancer of unknown primary origin

Clinical Trials on Cancer of unknown primary origin at Google

Guidelines / Policies / Govt

US National Guidelines Clearinghouse on Cancer of unknown primary origin

NICE Guidance on Cancer of unknown primary origin

NHS PRODIGY Guidance

FDA on Cancer of unknown primary origin

CDC on Cancer of unknown primary origin

Books

Books on Cancer of unknown primary origin

News

Cancer of unknown primary origin in the news

Be alerted to news on Cancer of unknown primary origin

News trends on Cancer of unknown primary origin

Commentary

Blogs on Cancer of unknown primary origin

Definitions

Definitions of Cancer of unknown primary origin

Patient Resources / Community

Patient resources on Cancer of unknown primary origin

Discussion groups on Cancer of unknown primary origin

Patient Handouts on Cancer of unknown primary origin

Directions to Hospitals Treating Cancer of unknown primary origin

Risk calculators and risk factors for Cancer of unknown primary origin

Healthcare Provider Resources

Symptoms of Cancer of unknown primary origin

Causes & Risk Factors for Cancer of unknown primary origin

Diagnostic studies for Cancer of unknown primary origin

Treatment of Cancer of unknown primary origin

Continuing Medical Education (CME)

CME Programs on Cancer of unknown primary origin

International

Cancer of unknown primary origin en Espanol

Cancer of unknown primary origin en Francais

Business

Cancer of unknown primary origin in the Marketplace

Patents on Cancer of unknown primary origin

Experimental / Informatics

List of terms related to Cancer of unknown primary origin

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Please Take Over This Page and Apply to be Editor-In-Chief for this topic: There can be one or more than one Editor-In-Chief. You may also apply to be an Associate Editor-In-Chief of one of the subtopics below. Please mail us [2] to indicate your interest in serving either as an Editor-In-Chief of the entire topic or as an Associate Editor-In-Chief for a subtopic. Please be sure to attach your CV and or biographical sketch.

Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) origin is the diagnosis when metastatic cancer is found but the place where the cancer began (the primary site) cannot be determined. About 2 to 4 percent of all cancer patients have a cancer whose primary site is never identified.

Treatment for CUP depends on many factors, including where the metastatic cancer is found, what the cancer cells look like under a microscope, and the patient’s age and general health.

Recent advances in diagnostic techniques have improved doctors’ ability to eventually find the primary site, even when the original diagnosis is CUP.

ancer can begin in any organ or tissue of the body. The primary, or original, tumor is usually named for the part of the body or the type of tissue in which the cancer begins. The disease can spread (metastasize) from the primary tumor and form metastatic tumors in other parts of the body. For example, breast cancer cells can metastasize to the lungs and cause the growth of a new tumor. When this happens, the tumor in the lung is called metastatic breast cancer because it is composed of breast cancer cells, not lung cancer cells.

Each year in the United States, several thousand people are diagnosed with metastatic cancer whose primary cancer site is not known. When the primary site cannot be identified, this disease may be called carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP). Most often, the metastatic cancer is first found in the lymph nodes, liver, lung, or bone.

In recent years, microscopic and other diagnostic techniques have improved dramatically. For this reason, doctors can now determine the primary site in about four out of five cases first diagnosed as CUP. In some cases, the part of the body where cancer cells are first found helps the doctor decide which diagnostic tests will be most helpful. Doctors also have other clues that help them find the primary site:

   * The pattern of spread may suggest the location of the primary site. When the metastatic cancer is found in the upper part of the body, the original site is likely to be above the diaphragm (the thin muscle under the lungs that separates the chest from the abdomen) at sites such as the lung and breast. If the metastatic cancer appears first in the lower part of the body, the primary cancer is likely to be at sites below the diaphragm, such as the pancreas and liver.
   * The type of cell found in the metastatic cancer can also provide clues about the hidden primary site.

Most patients with an unidentified primary tumor have a cell type called adenocarcinoma. The term adenocarcinoma refers to cancer that begins in the cells in glandular structures in the lining or covering of certain organs in the body. Common primary sites for adenocarcinomas include the lung, pancreas, breast, prostate, stomach, liver, and colon.

When the cancer cells are poorly differentiated (that is, they look very different from normal cells when viewed under a microscope), the cancer may be either a lymphoma or a germ cell tumor. Lymphomas begin in the lymphatic system (a grouping of lymph glands and lymph vessels found throughout the body that participates in the defense against attack from bacteria, viruses, or other agents); germ cell tumors usually begin in the ovaries and testes.

In patients in whom the primary cancer is eventually found, the lung and pancreas are the most common primary cancer sites. CUP also may be traced to the breast, prostate, colon, or rectum as the primary site.

Sometimes, however, even when doctors use very sophisticated methods to try to identify the primary site, the part of the body the cancer cells came from cannot be determined. About 2 to 4 percent of all cancer patients have a cancer whose primary site is never found.

Identifying the primary tumor site is important because knowing its location and type often helps doctors plan the best treatment. Treatment that is specific to the suspected type of cancer is likely to be more effective. Still, when diagnostic tests have not identified the primary site, doctors must decide whether the potential benefits of more extensive testing outweigh a patient’s discomfort and the financial costs.

CUP is a term that refers to many different cancers. For that reason, treatment depends on where the cancer is found, what the cancer cells look like under a microscope, and the patient’s age and overall physical condition. No method is standard, but chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, and surgery may be used alone or in combination to treat patients who have CUP. Even when the cancer is unlikely to be cured, treatment may help the patient live longer or improve the patient’s quality of life. However, the potential side effects of the treatment must be considered along with the potential benefits.


Template:SIB


Template:WikiDoc Sources