Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 12, 2026

Competing-Risk Nomogram for Predicting Cancer-Specific Survival in Multiple Primary Colorectal Cancer Patients after Surgery
Published on: September 27, 2024
Rapid reduction in the incidence of cancer of unknown primary. A population-based study
Odd Terje Brustugun1, Åslaug Helland
1Department of Oncology, Oslo University Hospital, The Norwegian Radium Hospital , Oslo , Norway.
Background:
Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) carries a dismal prognosis due to the two hallmarks of 1) being metastatic with 2) no known specific treatment. An organ-labeled diagnosis of cancer should therefore be sought. In this study, we have analyzed population-based incidence and survival data of CUP over the latest 40 years.
Material And Methods:
Complete national data on 23 004 CUP-patients from the Cancer Registry of Norway sampled from 1971 to 2010 are presented, with absolute and age-adjusted incidence rates correlated to the total cancer incidence. One-year relative survival rates were calculated.
Results:
The incidence of CUP increased both in absolute numbers and as a fraction of total cancer incidence during the first half of the period. There has been a substantial decrease in incidence over the latest 20 years, now being responsible of only 1.7% and 1.2% of the total cancer incidence in females and males, respectively, with an age-adjusted incidence rate of 3.5 and 3.8, respectively. The one-year relative survival rate has increased and was slightly below 20% for both sexes in 2010.
Conclusion:
Better diagnostics, both radiological and pathological, is probably responsible for a substantially lower incidence. Improved treatment for cancers in general also benefits the CUP-group.
Related Concept Videos
Cancer Prevention
Some...
Cancer Prevention
Some...
Cancer Survival Analysis
Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
Cancer-Critical Genes I: Proto-oncogenes
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
Longitudinal Research