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Carcinoma of the Unknown Primary

  • Chapter
Cancer in the Spine

Part of the book series: Current Clinical Oncology ((CCO))

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Abstract

The presence of metastatic cancer without evidence of its source is a common clinical entity representing between 3 and 15% of all cancer diagnoses. Patients with cancer of unknown primary (CUP) are heterogenous, having a wide variety of clinical presentations and pathological findings, resulting in diagnostic and treatment dilemmas for both the patient and clinician. Despite having a widely varying prognosis, with optimal treatment, some patients have the potential for long-term survival, whereas others are unlikely to respond to any type of treatment.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Genitourinary Oncology Program, Texas Oncology, Baylor Sammons Cancer Center, Dallas, TX

    Thomas E. Hutson DO, PharmD

  2. Experimental Therapeutics Program, Taussig Cancer Center, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH

    Ronald M. Bukowski MD

Authors
  1. Thomas E. Hutson DO, PharmD
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  2. Ronald M. Bukowski MD
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Lerner College of Medicine and The Cleveland Clinic Spine Institute Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH

    Robert F. McLain MD

  2. The Cleveland Clinic Spine Institute, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH

    Kai-Uwe Lewandrowski MD  & Edward C. Benzel MD, FACS  & 

  3. University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

    Maurie Markman MD

  4. Taussig Cancer Center, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH

    Ronald M. Bukowski MD

  5. Department of Radiation Oncology, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH

    Roger Macklis MD

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© 2006 Humana Press, Inc., Totowa, NJ

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Hutson, T.E., Bukowski, R.M. (2006). Carcinoma of the Unknown Primary. In: McLain, R.F., Lewandrowski, KU., Markman, M., Bukowski, R.M., Macklis, R., Benzel, E.C. (eds) Cancer in the Spine. Current Clinical Oncology. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-971-4_20

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-971-4_20

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-074-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-971-4

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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