Metastases in the Absence of a Primary Tumor: Advances in the Diagnosis and Treatment of CUP Syndrome

• Published in: Deutsches Ärzteblatt international Vol. 105; no. 43; pp. 733 - 740
• Main Authors: Neben, Kai, Hübner, Gerdt, Folprecht, Gunnar, Jäger, Dirk, Krämer, Alwin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Deutscher Arzte Verlag 01-10-2008
• Subjects: Review; CUP syndrome; molecular medicine; diagnosis; treatment success; metastasis
• ISSN: 1866-0452
• DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.2008.0733

The term cancer of unknown primary site (CUP) syndrome is used to describe malignancies in which a complete diagnostic work-up detects metastases in the absence of an identifiable primary tumor.
Based on a selective literature review, national and international guidelines, and the experience of the "Arbeitskreis CUP-Syndrom der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Internistische Onkologie der Deutschen Krebsgesellschaft" (CUP Syndrome Committee of the Medical Oncology Joint Working Group of the German Cancer Society), developments in the diagnosis and treatment of CUP syndrome are reported.
Most patients diagnosed with CUP have an unfavorable prognosis, with a life expectancy of less than 12 months. Nevertheless, it is important to identify subsets of patients in whom specific treatment offers the chance of long-term survival or even full recovery.
Only rigorous further development of diagnostic tools and treatment protocols will enable an improvement of the poor prognosis of patients with CUP syndrome. Specific molecular treatment strategies have shown promising results.