Cancers of unknown primary site.
A patient is considered to have tumour of unknown primary origin when a tumour is detected at one or more metastatic sites and routine evaluation fails to identify a primary tumour. Metastatic carcinoma of unknown primary origin constitutes 3-15% of all cancers and poses a major diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma, because cancer treatment is typically directed at the specific primary tissue type. The regression or dormancy of the primary tumour, the development of early, uncommon systemic metastases and the resistance to therapy are hallmark of this heterogeneous clinical entity. Still no consensus exists on whether cancer of unknown primary site is simply a group of metastatic primaries or a distinct entity with specific genetic and phenotypic characteristics that define it as "primary metastatic disease". In this review we briefly highlight the biologic behaviour and genetic aberrations of unknown primary tumours.
Department of Pathology, JN Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002.
Mehar
M
Aziz
Nishat
N
Afroz
Ashutosh
A
Awasthi
S A
SA
Hasan
Ibne
I
Ahmad
D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D006801:Humans; D055806:Microvessels; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000235:genetics; D009382:Neoplasms, Unknown Primary / Q000098:blood supply / Q000235:genetics*