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Abstract

Cancers of unknown primary origin (CUP), or occult primary tumors, are malignancies, documented in a metastatic localization, without an identified primary origin. This malignant syndrome accounts for approximately 3–5% [1,2] of all cancer diagnosis. An estimated 31,000 patients have been diagnosed with an occult primary tumor during 2001 in the USA [3]. An analysis of the Swedish Family-Cancer Database demonstrated that incidence of CUP was between 6.00 and 6.98 cases per 100,000 from 1987 to 2008 [4]. Herein we report new developments in the diagnosis and treatment of CUP.

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Correspondence to Fabio Cesare Campanile .

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Campanile, F.C., Baiocchi, G.L., Vettoretto, N., Agresta, F. (2013). Cancers of Unknown Origin. In: Valeri, A., Bergamini, C., Agresta, F., Martellucci, J. (eds) What’s New in Surgical Oncology. Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-5310-6_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-5310-6_17

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