Published in:
Open Access
05-12-2023 | Cancer of Unknown Primary | short review
Cancer of unknown primary—state of the art
Author:
Thorsten Fuereder, MD
Published in:
memo - Magazine of European Medical Oncology
|
Issue 1/2024
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Summary
The Cancer of Unknown Primary (CUP) syndrome does not represent a single clinical entity but comprises a diverse group of malignant tumors. CUP is defined as a histologically confirmed metastatic malignant disease for which the primary tumor cannot be identified after completing initial diagnostics. Although its incidence has decreased, managing CUP patients remains a significant clinical challenge, particularly for those in the poor prognosis group, where the overall survival is merely 3 months. In this context, accurate diagnostics and prompt treatment initiation are crucial. While platinum-based chemotherapy still plays a central role in CUP therapy, the future holds promise with the advent of next-generation targeted therapies and immunotherapies guided by the results of advanced sequencing tools. These advancements offer hope for improving the bleak outcomes faced by these patients.