Cancer Of Unknown Primary

Question 0

What cancers commonly metastasise to the liver?

Answer 0

Colon, lung, breast

Question 1

What proportion of cancers have an unknown primary?

Answer 1

10% following standard investigations

3% following thorough investigations

Question 2

What cancers commonly metastasise to the lung?

Answer 2

Breast, lung, kidney

Question 3

What cancers commonly metastasise to the brain?

Answer 3

Lung
Breast
Melanoma

Question 4

What cancers commonly metastasise to the bone

Answer 4

Breast
Bronchus
Kidney
Prostate
Thyroid

Question 5

What cancers commonly metastasise to the peritoneum?

Answer 5

Ovary
Colon
Pancreas

Question 6

Which cancers metastasise to the following lymph nodes: high cervical, supraclavicular, axillary, inguinal?

Answer 6

High cervical- H+N, thyroid, lung
Supraclavicular- H+N, lung, breast, GI
Axillary- breast, lung, melanoma
Inguinal- ovary, prostate, anorectal

Question 7

What histology do most cancers of unknown primary demonstrate?

Answer 7

Adenocarcinoma- often from GI, breast, ovary, lung

Question 8

What cancers cause cancer of unknown primary with a squamous cell histology?

Answer 8

Lung, head and neck

Question 9

What is the management of cancer of unknown origin?

Answer 9

Epirubicin and cisplatin to cover most chemo responsive tumours

5fu for GI tumours

Radiotherapy for palliation/ Debulking

Question 10

Prognosis of cancer of unknown origin?

Answer 10

Poor

Five year survival is less than 10%