Cancer of unknown primary origin overview
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Cancer of unknown primary origin Microchapters |
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Differentiating Cancer of Unknown Primary Origin from other Diseases |
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Diagnosis |
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Treatment |
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Case Studies |
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Cancer of unknown primary origin overview On the Web |
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American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Cancer of unknown primary origin overview |
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Risk calculators and risk factors for Cancer of unknown primary origin overview |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: ; Roukoz A. Karam, M.D.[2]
Overview
Cancer of unknown primary origin or CUP is the diagnosis of metastatic cancer when the anatomic site of origin remains unidentified. Cancer of unknown primary origin is common, and it accounts for 2–5% of all cancers. Cancer of unknown primary origin may be classified according to pathology findings into 4 groups: adenocarcinomas, poorly differentiated carcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas, and carcinomas with neuroendocrine differentiation. The majority of patients with cancer of unknown primary origin may be initially asymptomatic. Early clinical features include fatigue, weight-loss, and loss of appetite. If left untreated, the majority of patients with cancer of unknown primary origin may progress to develop multiple organ failure, heart failure, and death. The treatment for cancer of unknown primary origin will depend on several factors, such as: metastatic origin, biopsy findings, patients age, and performance status. The 5-year survival of patients with cancer of unknown primary origin is less than 2%.