Cancer of Unknown Primary Origin

Cancer of Unknown Primary Origin - Also called CUP, cancer of unknown primary origin is a cancer for which the primary site is not known. In other words, cancer cells are found in one or more metastatic sites in the body, but the part of the body from which the cancer cells first originated cannot be determined. Cancers are normally named and treated according to where they originated in the body. Additional tests may eventually reveal the primary site, in which case the cancer is no longer considered a cancer of unknown primary and is renamed according to the newly discovered site of origin.

Previous: Cancer In Situ

Next: Capecitabine

Back to the Cancer Glossary