Abstract
Carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) origin is a quite heterogeneous entity with a poor prognosis. It accounts for about 5% of all neoplasms. CUP is defined as a histologically confirmed diagnosis of malignancy in patients with unremarkable medical history, normal physical examination and routine blood tests, and normal computed tomography. Among CUPs, several subsets have been identified as likely to be associated with a better life expectancy after specific treatment. About 15% of CUPs correspond to those specific subtypes: metastatic disease of lymph nodes such as nodal midline distribution, isolated metastases to axillary nodes, cervical involvement with squamous histology or inguinal nodal involvement; peritoneal papillary serous carcinomatosis in women; metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma; osteoblastic bone metastases with elevated PSA in men; a single metastatic site. Thus, ruling out the primary and recognizing one of these subsets appear necessary in the management of patients with CUP tumours.
Résumé
Les carcinomes de primitif inconnu (CAPI) forment un groupe de tumeurs hétérogènes dont le primitif n’est pas identifié après un bilan clinicobiologique et radiologique. Environ 5 % des cancers sont des CAPI. Ce sont des cancers de mauvais pronostic. Parmi ces CAPI, plusieurs entités ont étéindividualisées qui, grâce à une prise en charge spécifique, ont un meilleur pronostic. Environ 15 % des patients atteints d’un CAPI correspondent à un sous-groupe de bon pronostic. On individualise ainsi des tumeurs avec atteinte ganglionnaire isolée comme les adénopathies axillaires de type adénocarcinome chez une femme, les adénopathies cervicales d’un carcinome épidermoïde, les adénopathies inguinales d’un carcinome épidermoïde, les tumeurs de la ligne médiane ou la carcinose péritonéale papillaire séreuse chez la femme, les tumeurs neuroendocrines, les métastases osseuses chez l’homme avec PSA élevéet les CAPI avec site métastatique unique. La prise en charge initiale d’un CAPI doit donc comprendre dans le même temps une recherche du primitif et une mise en évidence éventuelle d’un de ces sous-groupes.
Similar content being viewed by others
Références
Abbruzzese JL, Abbruzzese MC, Lenzi R, et al. (1995) Analysis of a diagnostic strategy for patients with suspected tumors of unknown origin. J Clin Oncol 13: 2094–2103
Beldì D, Jereczek-Fossa BA, D’Onofrio A, et al. (2007) Role of radiotherapy in the treatment of cervical lymph node metastases from an unknown primary site: retrospective analysis of 113 patients. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 69: 1051–1058
Boscolo-Rizzo P, Gava A, Da Mosto MC (2007) Carcinoma metastatic to cervical lymph nodes from an occult primary tumor: the outcome after combined-modality therapy. Ann Surg Oncol 14: 1575–1582
Bridgewater J, van Laar R, Floore A, et al. (2008) Gene expression profiling may improve diagnosis in patients with carcinoma of unknown primary. Br J Cancer 98: 1425–1430
Bugat R, Bataillard A, Lesimple T, et al. (2003) Summary of the Standards, Options and Recommendations for the management of patients with carcinoma of unknown primary site (2002). Br J Cancer 89(Suppl 1): S59–S66
Chen KT, Flam MS (1986) Peritoneal papillary serous carcinoma with long-term survival. Cancer 58: 1371–1373
Culine S, Lortholary A, Voigt JJ, et al. (2003) Cisplatin in combination with either gemcitabine or irinotecan in carcinomas of unknown primary site: results of a randomized phase II study-trial for the French Study Group on Carcinomas of Unknown Primary (GEFCAPI 01) J Clin Oncol 21(18): 3479–3482
Ellerbroek N, Holmes F, Singletary E, et al. (1990) Treatment of patients with isolated axillary nodal metastases from an occult primary carcinoma consistent with breast origin. Cancer 66: 1461–1467
Foroudi F, Tiver KW (2000) Occult breast carcinoma presenting as axillary metastases. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 47:143–147
Fox RM, Woods RL, Tattersall MH, et al. (1979) Undifferentiated carcinoma in young men: the atypical teratoma syndrome. Lancet 1: 1316–1318
Grau C, Johansen LV, Jakobsen J, et al. (2000) Cervical lymph node metastases from unknown primary tumours. Results from a national survey by the Danish Society for Head and Neck Oncology. Radiother Oncol 55: 121–129
Greco FA, Rodriguez GI, Shaffer DW, et al. (2004) Carcinoma of unknown primary site: sequential treatment with paclitaxel-carboplatin-etoposide and gemcitabine-irinotecan: a Minnie Pearl Cancer Research Network phase II trial. Oncologist 9: 644–652
Greco FA, Vaughn WK, Hainsworth JD (1986) Advanced poorly differentiated carcinoma of unknown primary site: recognition of a treatable syndrome. Ann Intern Med 104: 547–553
Guarischi A, Keane TJ, Elhakim T (1987) Metastatic inguinal nodes from an unknown primary neoplasm: a review of 56 cases. Cancer 59: 572–577
Hainsworth JD, Spigel DR, Litchy S, et al. (2006) Phase II trial of paclitaxel, carboplatin, and etoposide in advanced poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma: a Minnie Pearl Cancer Research Network Study. J Clin Oncol 24: 3548–3554
Johansen J, Buus S, Loft A, et al. (2008) Prospective study of 18FDG-PET in the detection and management of patients with lymph node metastases to the neck from an unknown primary tumor. Results from the DAHANCA-13 study. Head Neck 30: 471–478
Klem ML, Mechalakos JG, Wolden SL, et al. (2008) Intensity-modulated radiotherapy for head and neck cancer of unknown primary: toxicity and preliminary efficacy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 70: 1100–1107
Levi F, Te VC, Erler G, et al. (2002) Epidemiology of unknown primary tumours. Eur J Cancer 38: 1810–1812
Moertel CG, Kvols LK, O’Connell MJ, et al. (1991) Treatment of neuroendocrine carcinomas with combined etoposide and cisplatin. Evidence of major therapeutic activity in the anaplastic variants of these neoplasms. Cancer 68: 227–232
Nystrom JS, Weiner JM, Heffelfinger-Juttner J, et al. (1977) Metastatic and histologic presentations in unknown primary cancer. Semin Oncol 4: 53–58
Pavlidis N, Briasoulis E, Hainsworth J, et al. (2003) Diagnostic and therapeutic management of cancer of an unknown primary. Eur J Cancer 39: 1990–2005
Probert JC (1970) Secondary carcinoma in cervical lymph nodes with an occult primary tumour: a review of 61 patients including their response to radiotherapy. Clin Radiol 21: 211–218
Ransom DT, Patel SR, Keeney GL, et al. (1990) Papillary serous carcinoma of the peritoneum: a review of 33 cases treated with platin-based chemotherapy. Cancer 66: 1091–1094
Sève P, Billotey C, Broussolle C, et al. (2007) The role of 2-deoxy-2-[F-18]fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography in disseminated carcinoma of unknown primary site. Cancer 109: 292–299
Smith PE, Krementz ET, Chapman W (1967) Metastatic cancer without a detectable primary site. Am J Surg 113:633–637
Stewart JF, Tattersall MH, Woods RL, et al. (1979) Unknown primary adenocarcinoma: incidence of over-investigation and natural history 1(6177): 1530–1533
Tell DT, Khoury JM, Taylor HG, et al. (1985) Atypical metastasis from prostate cancer. Clinical utility of the immunope-roxidase technique for prostate-specific antigen. Jama 253: 3574–3575
Van der Gaast A, Verweij J, Henzen-Logmans SC, et al (1990) Carcinoma of unknown primary: identification of a treatable subset? Ann Oncol 1: 119–122
Varadarajan R, Edge SB, Yu J, et al. (2006) Prognosis of occult breast carcinoma presenting as isolated axillary nodal metastasis. Oncology 71: 456–459
Vlastos G, Jean ME, Mirza AN, et al. (2001) Feasibility of breast preservation in the treatment of occult primary carcinoma presenting with axillary metastases. Ann Surg Oncol 8: 425–431
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
About this article
Cite this article
Plantade, A., Saban-Roche, L. & Merrouche, Y. Les entités anatomocliniques des CAPI relevant d’une prise en charge spécifique. Oncologie 10, 713–717 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10269-008-0987-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10269-008-0987-z