Stages of cancer of unknown primary (CUP) (2024)

FAQs

What stage is cup cancer? ›

There is no standard staging system for carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP). The extent or spread of cancer is usually described as stages. The stage of the cancer is usually used to plan treatment. However, carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) has already spread to other parts of the body when it is found.

Because carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) is not the primary cancer and has already spread when it was found, the potential to cure the cancer is less likely than finding a primary cancer early. Survival rates vary from person to person, ranging from months to several years.

There is no staging system for cancer of unknown primary (CUP). This is because the cancer has already spread and doctors don't know where the original cancer started. Doctors can usually group CUP by the type of cell the cancer started in.

Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) means that cancer spread has been found in your body (secondary cancer), but your doctors can't find where the cancer started (the primary cancer).

Cancer of the unknown primary is a rare group of metastatic cancers that are found after they've spread, but the location of the original tumor isn't clear. These secondary tumors are most commonly found in the lungs, liver, lymph nodes and the bones.

Generally for all those with CUP: around 16 out of 100 people (around 16%) survive for 1 year or more. around 10 out of 100 people (around 10%) survive for 3 years or more.

However, complete cure remains a very rare event in CUP. Remission can be achieved with a platinum-containing regimen combined with radiotherapy.

Chemo can be used in a number of situations for cancer of unknown primary (CUP). Because chemo reaches all parts of the body, it can sometimes be useful for cancers of unknown primary, as it may help kill cancer cells in areas where they haven't been detected.

Stage 4 cancer is not always terminal. It is usually advanced and requires more aggressive treatment. Terminal cancer refers to cancer that is not curable and eventually results in death. Some may refer to it as end stage cancer.

Cancer of unknown primary incidence

Cancer of unknown primary is the 15th most common cancer in the UK, accounting for 2% of all new cancer cases (2017-2019). In females in the UK, cancer of unknown primary is the 11th most common cancer, with around 4,200 new cases every year (2017-2019).

Is stage 4 always terminal? ›

Although the overall prognosis may be poor based on cases with previous patients and older treatments, many patients with stage 4 cancer can live for years. A few factors to keep in mind: Many treatments are available to help fight cancer.

The criteria for CUP include a biopsy-proven malignancy for which the anatomic origin is unknown after a medical history has been obtained, a detailed physical examination has been performed, and liver and kidney function tests, blood tests, chest radiography, abdomen and pelvis computed tomography (CT), and ...

Median survival in patients with cancer of unknown primary origin ranges from 11 weeks to 11 months. The 5-year overall survival rate is about 11%.

A patient is considered to have a cancer of unknown primary origin when cancer is detected at one or more sites and routine evaluation fails to identify the primary tumor.

Your doctor may ask you to have several tests to try to find the primary cancer. If the tests cannot find where the cancer started, the doctor will try to identify the type of cell the cancer developed from. This gives the doctor a better idea of where the cancer may have started.

Your doctor will discuss your treatment, its benefits and the possible side effects with you. Doctors can't cure most cases of CUP. This is because the cancer has already spread from one part of the body to another.

Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) means that cancer spread (secondary cancer) has been found in your body, but doctors don't know where the cancer started (the primary cancer). Your body is made up of billions of cells that can only be seen under a microscope.

Stage I through Stage III are for cancers that haven't spread beyond the primary tumor site or have only spread to nearby tissue. The higher the stage number, the larger the tumor and the more it has spread. Stage IV cancer has spread to distant areas of the body.

Stage 4 cancer is not always terminal. It is usually advanced and requires more aggressive treatment. Terminal cancer refers to cancer that is not curable and eventually results in death. Some may refer to it as end stage cancer.