Metastatic carcinoma from unknown primary site: the experience of a large oncology centre

The case records of patients presenting with metastases from an unknown primary cancer (MUP) have been reviewed. Important prognostic variables were performance status and the presence of disease in more than one system. Patients of poor performance status and disease in multiple organs had a median survival of one month and 87% were dead within three months. Those patients of good performance status and disease apparent in only one organ had a median survival of seven months. Patients with carcinoma confined to lymph nodes in the high cervical region who received treatment with radiotherapy had 3- and 5-year survival rates of 26% and 17% respectively.