Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

J Mol Diagn 2020 Jun 28. Epub 2020 Jun 28.

Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Cancer of Unknown Primary Group of Pathology Committee of Chinese Research Hospital Association, Shanghai, China. Electronic address:

The accurate identification of tissue origin in patients with metastatic cancer is critical for effective treatment selection but remains a challenge. In this study, we aim to develop a gene expression assay for tumor molecular classification and integrate it with clinicopathological evaluations to identify the tissue origin for cancer of uncertain primary (CUP). A 90-gene expression signature covering 21 tumor types was identified and validated with an overall accuracy of 89. Read More

Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2020 Jun 25. Epub 2020 Jun 25.

Department of Nuclear Medicine & Minnan PET Center, Xiamen Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Teaching Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Xiamen, China.

Purpose: This prospective study aimed to evaluate the potential usefulness of [Ga]Ga-DOTA-FAPI-04 positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in the oncological evaluation of patients presenting with inconclusive [F]FDG PET/CT findings.

Methods: [Ga]Ga-DOTA-FAPI-04 was performed in patients presenting with inconclusive [F]FDG PET/CT findings. Tumour uptake was quantified by the maximum standard uptake value (SUV). Read More

J Adv Res 2020 Jul 10;24:495-500. Epub 2020 Jun 10.

Professor Emeritus, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece.

Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) represents a heterogeneous group of metastatic tumors that lack an identifiable primary site despite an extensive diagnostic work-up. It is a well-recognized entity that is characterized by early dissemination, aggressive clinical course, unpredictable metastatic pattern, intrinsic treatment resistance, and a dismal prognosis. Despite the molecular diagnostic workup and personalized therapy, the expected improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of CUP have not been achieved. Read More

Cytojournal 2020 29;17. Epub 2020 Apr 29.

Department of Pathology, Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India.

Scrape cellblock (SCB) is a novel technique to suggest possible primary site in fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) smears from the liver, lung, and lymph nodes which are the common sites of metastasis of many primary tumors. Immunocytochemistry (ICC) on SCB averts the need of more invasive diagnostic procedures and gives a conclusive diagnosis. We present a series of four cases with unknown primary site, in which ICC was done on SCB to suggest possible primary site. Read More

J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad 2020 Jan- Mar;32(1):127-131

Department of General Surgery, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan.

Under the banner of cancers of unknown primary origin (CUPs), neuroendocrine tumours account for less than five percent of the neoplasms. The clinical manifestations and management depend upon the tumour's grade and differentiation and its site of growth. At times, despite of aggressive search for primary origin, cancer remains hidden. Read More

Radiol Case Rep 2020 Jul 12;15(7):983-987. Epub 2020 May 12.

Department of Radiology, Daping hospital, Army medical university, Chongqing 400042, China.

Carcinoma of unknown primary accounts for 2%-5% of all head and neck tumors. Identification of the primary site is challenging. We present a case report of a 43-year-old man with metastatic cervical lymphadenopathy for 3 year, and the primary tumor was unknown after routine examinations, including positron emission tomography/computed tomography. Read More

Kyobu Geka 2020 Feb;73(2):113-116

Department of Thoracic Surgery, Matsusaka Chuo General Hospital, Matsusaka, Japan.

A 73-year-old man was referred to our department because of the left chest wall tumor. Computed tomography(CT) showed a chest wall tumor. The chest wall resection was carried out and the tumor was diagnosed as metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary. Read More

PLoS One 2020 8;15(5):e0226461. Epub 2020 May 8.

Center for Artificial Intelligence in Drug Discovery, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America.

Cancer origin determination combined with site-specific treatment of metastatic cancer patients is critical to improve patient outcomes. Existing pathology and gene expression-based techniques often have limited performance. In this study, we developed a deep neural network (DNN)-based classifier for cancer origin prediction using DNA methylation data of 7,339 patients of 18 different cancer origins from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Read More

J Cancer 2020 6;11(13):3919-3931. Epub 2020 Apr 6.

Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Unit, Cell Therapy & Cancer Research Department, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia.

Metastasis is a late event in the progression of any tumour. However, invasive cancers are occasionally detected in the form of metastatic lesions without a clearly detectable primary tumour. Cancer of unknown primary site (CUP) is defined as a confirmed metastatic tumour, with unknown primary tumour site, despite the standardized diagnostic approach that includes clinical history, routine laboratory tests, and complete physical examination. Read More

Oncologist 2020 Apr 20. Epub 2020 Apr 20.

Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.

Cancers of unknown primary (CUP) are histologically confirmed malignancies but for which further investigation cannot identify a primary site. Improvements in histopathologic modalities for diagnosis have lessened the frequency of CUPs to 3%-5% of all malignancies compared with historical estimates of 5%-10%. Despite this, there is an ongoing debate as to whether CUPs are malignancies where the primary is not found or if they are otherwise a fully separate entity. Read More

Laryngoscope 2020 Apr 2. Epub 2020 Apr 2.

Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

Objective: To analyze the role of transoral robotic base-of-tongue mucosectomy in a cohort of patients with human papilloma virus negative unknown primary carcinoma.

Study Design: Retrospective database analysis.

Methods: A retrospective database review from 2012 to 2018 was performed at two large tertiary centers to study patients with human papilloma virus (HPV)-negative unknown primary carcinoma who underwent transoral robotic base-of-tongue mucosectomy. Read More

PLoS One 2020 19;15(3):e0230373. Epub 2020 Mar 19.

Centre for Big Data Research in Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia.

Background: Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) is a late-stage malignancy with poor prognosis, but we know little about what diagnostic tests and procedures people with CUP receive prior to diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to determine how health service utilisation prior to diagnosis for people with cancer-registry notified CUP differs from those notified with metastatic cancer of known primary.

Methods: We identified people with a cancer registry notification of CUP (n = 327) from the 45 and Up Study, a prospective cohort of 266,724 people ≥45 years in New South Wales, Australia, matched with up to three controls with a diagnosis of metastatic cancer of known primary (n = 977). Read More

World J Clin Oncol 2020 Feb;11(2):103-109

Norton Cancer Institute, Norton Healthcare, Louisville, KY 40202, United States.

Background: Retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) plays a diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic role in myriad urologic malignancies, including testicular carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma (RCC), and upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma. RCC represents 2% of all cancers with approximately 25% of patients presenting with advanced disease. Clear cell RCC (CCRCC) is the most common RCC, accounting for 75%-80% of all RCC. Read More

Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2020 Mar 23;147:102882. Epub 2020 Jan 23.

University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece.

Cancers of Unknown Primary Site (CUP) account for approximately 1-3 % of all malignant neoplasms. It represents a heterogeneous group of malignancies without a detectable primary and is characterized by aggressive clinical behavior. Patients with CUP are presumably categorized into prognostic subsets according to their clinical and pathological characteristics. Read More

JOP 2019 Nov;20(5):121-124

Tufts University School of Medicine, Tufts Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA.

Background: Carcinoma of unknown primary represents a therapeutic challenge in oncological practice. Evidence lacks to support particular chemotherapy selection and empirical therapies are commonly extrapolated from data on patients where primary tumor site is known. Gemcitabine, Oxaliplatin, Leucovorin and 5-Fluorouracil was previously developed to treat pancreatic cancer. Read More

Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2020 31;18:323-331. Epub 2020 Jan 31.

Disease Area Oncology, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland.

Genetic heterogeneity within a tumor arises by clonal evolution, and patients with highly heterogeneous tumors are more likely to be resistant to therapy and have reduced survival. Clonal evolution also occurs when a subset of cells leave the primary tumor to form metastases, which leads to reduced genetic heterogeneity at the metastatic site. Although this process has been observed in human cancer, experimental models which recapitulate this process are lacking. Read More

Cureus 2019 Dec 31;11(12):e6522. Epub 2019 Dec 31.

Hematology and Oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA.

Cancer of unknown primary is defined as a metastatic disease present in the absence of an identifiable primary site of origin. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of unknown primary is a relatively uncommon subtype that usually involves metastases to the cervical or inguinal lymph nodes. We present a rare case of SCC of unknown primary metastasizing to the gallbladder fossa and creating a duodenal fistula. Read More

Int J Mol Sci 2020 Jan 31;21(3). Epub 2020 Jan 31.

State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.

The tumor microenvironment has been recently recognized as a critical contributor to cancer progression and anticancer therapy-resistance. Cyclophosphamide (CTX) is a cytotoxic agent commonly used in clinics for the treatment of cancer. Previous reports demonstrated that CTX given at low continuous doses, known as metronomic schedule, mainly targets endothelial cells and circulating Tregs with unknown mechanisms. Read More

Front Oncol 2019 17;9:1546. Epub 2020 Jan 17.

Multidisciplinary Oncology Outpatient Clinic, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Italy.

Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) is an umbrella term used to classify a heterogeneous group of metastatic cancers based on the absence of an identifiable primary tumor. Clinically, CUPs are characterized by a set of distinct features comprising early metastatic dissemination in an atypical pattern, an aggressive clinical course, poor response to empiric chemotherapy and, consequently, a short life expectancy. Two opposing strategies to change the dismal prognosis for the better are pursued. Read More

Theranostics 2020 1;10(2):925-937. Epub 2020 Jan 1.

Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, Eberhard Karls University, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.

Cancer immunotherapy depends on a systemic immune response, but the basic underlying mechanisms are still largely unknown. Despite the very successful and widespread use of checkpoint inhibitors in the clinic, the majority of cancer patients do not benefit from this type of treatment. In this translational study, we investigated whether noninvasive positron emission tomography (PET) imaging using 2-[F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (F-FDG) is capable of detecting immunotherapy-associated metabolic changes in the primary and secondary lymphoid organs and whether this detection enables the prediction of a successful anti-cancer immune response. Read More

BMJ Open 2019 12 30;9(12):e035431. Epub 2019 Dec 30.

Department of Radiation Oncology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Introduction: Carcinomas of unknown primary site (CUP) of the head and neck have historically been worked up and managed heterogeneously. Failure to identify a primary site may result in large radiotherapy mucosal volumes. Transoral approaches such as Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS) may improve the yield of identifying hidden primaries. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2019 Dec 29;12(12). Epub 2019 Dec 29.

Department of Laboratories, College of Medicine & Philippine General Hospital, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines.

A 53-year-old man presented with a 3-month history of progressive, non-productive cough followed by occasional swelling of the face and upper extremities. Physical examination on admission revealed prominent superficial vessels at the neck and upper extremity swelling. Bronchoscopy revealed the superior segment of the right lower lobe was narrow but without visible mass; cell block and biopsy done revealed signet-ring cell carcinoma with an immunohistochemistry pattern favouring the primary site of malignancy as either gastric or of the pancreaticobiliary tree. Read More

J Surg Oncol 2020 Mar 18;121(3):480-485. Epub 2019 Dec 18.

Department of Medical Oncology, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA.

Background: Somatostatin analog functional imaging with gallium-68 (Ga-68) dotatate positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) has demonstrated superiority in lesion detection in patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). The clinical impact of this imaging modality on US surgical and medical oncology practices has not been established.

Methods: Consecutive patients with NET at our institution who received an initial Ga-68 dotatate PET/CT between July 2017 and September 2018 were included. Read More

Orthop Surg 2019 Dec;11(6):1039-1047

Department of Bone Tumor, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin, China.

Objectives: To summarize the epidemiological characteristics of patients following surgery for spinal metastases retrospectively and make a univariate analysis to identify independent variables that could affect the operation decision making.

Methods: This was a multicenter retrospective review of patients with spinal metastasis who were treated with surgery from 1 January 2007 to 31 July 2019. Basic clinical data were analyzed retrospectively by univariate analysis to identify independent variables that could affect the decision of operation modalities, including gender, age, spinal metastatic site, Frankel score, Karnofsky performance score (KPS), spinal instability neoplastic score (SINS), visual analogue scale (VAS), Tokuhashi score, urinary and fecal incontinence, spinal pathological fracture, primary tumor, extraspinal metastasis, visceral metastasis, and bone lesion (osteolytic, osteoblastic or mixed). Read More

Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2019 Oct 20;71(Suppl 1):157-161. Epub 2017 Jul 20.

31, Sangana Society, Near Navyug College, Rander Road, Surat, 395009 India.

The potential of CT, MRI or both to detect a primary tumor ranges from 9.3 to 23% rising to 60% when suspicious radiological findings direct subsequent endoscopic biopsies (Zhuang et al. in Mol Clin Oncol 2:917-922, 2014). Read More

JAMA Oncol 2019 Nov 14. Epub 2019 Nov 14.

Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York.

Importance: Diagnosing the site of origin for cancer is a pillar of disease classification that has directed clinical care for more than a century. Even in an era of precision oncologic practice, in which treatment is increasingly informed by the presence or absence of mutant genes responsible for cancer growth and progression, tumor origin remains a critical factor in tumor biologic characteristics and therapeutic sensitivity.

Objective: To evaluate whether data derived from routine clinical DNA sequencing of tumors could complement conventional approaches to enable improved diagnostic accuracy. Read More

Cureus 2019 Sep 2;11(9):e5552. Epub 2019 Sep 2.

Internal Medicine, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences and Psychology, Fairfield, USA.

Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) is a malignant widespread metastatic disease without an identifiable primary site after extensive clinical investigation. Recently, a decline is observed in the diagnosis of CUP, mainly due to improvement in detection of the primary tumors, thus decreasing the unknown primaries. Worldwide, CUP is the sixth to eighth most common malignancy, accounting for 2. Read More

Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol) 2020 Apr 18;32(4):e87-e92. Epub 2019 Oct 18.

Sussex Cancer Centre, Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, BN2 5BE, UK. Electronic address:

Aims: The UK National Health Service has well-developed site-specific referral pathways for patients with suspected cancer, but historically there has been inequality of access for patients with suspected Metastatic malignant disease of Unknown primary Origin (MUO). The Brighton cancer of unknown primary (CUP) clinic covers a population of about 650 000. As well as 'in-house' referrals, direct general practitioner referrals are also accepted (since 2015), aiming to shorten the diagnostic pathway and improve patient support. Read More

Arkh Patol 2019 ;81(5):11-21

M.F.Vladimirsky Moscow Regional Research Clinical Institute, Moscow, Russia.

An important role in the differentiation of tissues in different organs is played by transforming factors (TFs); pancreatic and duodenal homebox 1 (PDX-1) is one of the earliest factors for pancreatic cells. Many malignant tumors, including neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), are similar in structure, and therefore the actual problem of oncomorphology is to search for narrow-specific markers and TFs.

Aim: to comparatively analyze and assess the value of the expression of the TF PDX-1 in NETs and non-NETs of different localization and histogenetic origin. Read More

BMC Cancer 2019 Oct 17;19(1):965. Epub 2019 Oct 17.

Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.

Background: Sarcomatoid carcinoma of unknown primary (SCUP) is a rare entity of either poorly differentiated carcinoma with sarcoma-like differentiation or a true mixed lineage neoplasm. Limited data regarding clinicopathological profile and management exists.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the MD Anderson Cancer of Unknown Primary database and tumor registry to identify 48 SCUP patients between 2001 and 2017. Read More

Oncol Lett 2019 Nov 18;18(5):5129-5138. Epub 2019 Sep 18.

Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, P.R. China.

The incidence of colorectal neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) is gradually increasing with the increasing availability of colonoscopy and computed tomography. However, prognostic and metastatic factors for colorectal NETs are unknown. The aim of the present study was to identify clinicopathological prognostic and metastasis-related risk factors for colorectal NETs. Read More

Cancer Radiother 2019 Dec 11;23(8):926-929. Epub 2019 Oct 11.

Namur Research Institute in Life Sciences (Narilis), Namur, Belgium; Department of Radiation Oncology, CHU UCL Namur, site Sainte-Élisabeth, place Louise-Godin 15, 5000 Namur, Belgium.

Stereotactic body radiation therapy is still controversial for inoperable patients with central lung lesion. We report the case of a 59-year-old woman with previous history of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma who was treated by lung stereotactic body irradiation for an inoperable lymph node in station 10R. One year after, a fibroscopy showed a necrosis of the right main bronchus mucosae and the CT showed a radio-induced aneurysm protruding into the right inferior lobular bronchus. Read More

J Transl Med 2019 10 1;17(1):331. Epub 2019 Oct 1.

Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.

Background: Brain metastases (BM) are the most common intracranial tumors. 2-14% of BM patients present with unknown primary site despite intensive evaluations. This study aims to evaluate the performance of a 90-gene expression signature in determining the primary sites for BM samples. Read More

Ann Transl Med 2019 Aug;7(15):353

Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, East Carolina University-Brody School of Medicine, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.

Malignant pleural effusions (MPE) are most frequently (50-65%) noted from lung and breast cancers. They are commonly unilateral and are reflective of poorer prognosis. Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) account for 4-5% of all invasive cancers. Read More

Cancer Inform 2019 30;18:1176935119872163. Epub 2019 Aug 30.

Department of Molecular Medicine (MOMA), Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.

A cancer of unknown primary (CUP) is a metastatic cancer for which standard diagnostic tests fail to locate the primary cancer. As standard treatments are based on the cancer type, such cases are hard to treat and have very poor prognosis. Using molecular data from the metastatic cancer to predict the primary site can make treatment choice easier and enable targeted therapy. Read More

South Asian J Cancer 2019 Jul-Sep;8(3):198-202

Department of Medical and Pediatric Oncology, Gujarat Cancer Research Institute, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.

Background: Most of the data on neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are from the Western literature. Indian studies regarding clinicopathological characteristics and treatment outcomes are lacking.

Methods: This is a prospective observational study of all new patients with NETs (except small-cell lung cancer) registered at our tertiary care cancer institute from November 2014 to November 2016. Read More

Cancer Causes Control 2019 Nov 27;30(11):1171-1182. Epub 2019 Aug 27.

Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Ave, Campus Box 8100, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.

Purpose: Tumors of the inner quadrants of the breast are associated with poorer survival than those of the upper-outer quadrant. It is unknown whether racial differences in breast cancer outcomes are modified by breast quadrant, in addition to comparisons among Asian subgroups.

Methods: Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database, we analyzed data among women diagnosed with non-metastatic invasive breast cancer between 1990 and 2014. Read More

Ann Surg Oncol 2020 Feb 12;27(2):561-568. Epub 2019 Aug 12.

Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.

Background: Sentinel node (SN) biopsy (SNB) is not routinely performed for melanoma patients with local recurrence (LR) or in-transit metastasis (ITM). This study aimed to describe the technique, findings, and prognostic value of this procedure, and the outcome for such patients at our institution.

Methods: Prospectively collected data were obtained from the Melanoma Institute Australia database. Read More

Ann Surg 2019 Aug 5. Epub 2019 Aug 5.

Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.

Objective: To examine the prognostic impact of tumor laterality in colon cancer liver metastases (CLM) after stratifying by Kirsten rat sarcoma 2 viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) mutational status.

Background: Although some studies have demonstrated that patients with CLM from a right sided (RS) primary cancer fare worse, others have found equivocal outcomes of patients with CLM with RS versus left-sided (LS) primary tumors. Importantly, recent evidence from unresectable metastatic CRC suggests that tumor laterality impacts prognosis only in those with wild-type tumors. Read More

Indian J Pathol Microbiol 2019 Jul-Sep;62(3):368-374

Department of Radiology, Institute of Human Behavior and Allied Sciences, Delhi, India.

Background: Metastatic tumors are the most common central nervous system (CNS) tumors wherein the primary site remains unknown in most of the cases. Aim: The study was carried out to evaluate metastatic CNS tumors with unknown primary by using simplified diagnostic (clinico-histopathologic) approach.

Material And Methods: A 2 years study was conducted on 32 cases of CNS metastases having unknown primary tumors in a neurosciences institute. Read More

Clin Nucl Med 2019 Sep;44(9):e519-e521

From the Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.

A 57-year-old man with stage IIIB malignant melanoma of unknown primary presented for pretherapy FDG PET/CT that demonstrated metastatic left cervical lymph node with no other site of involvement. Following left neck dissection, nivolumab was initiated. Follow-up FDG PET/CT 3 months after initiation of nivolumab demonstrated extensive radiotracer-avid chest lymphadenopathy and multiple bone lesions. Read More

Neurol India 2019 May-Jun;67(3):749-754

Department of Radiation Oncology, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.

Introduction: One of the most common tumors of the brain are metastatic lesions. They can present as cancer of unknown primary (CUP) and require careful determination of the site of origin of the primary. Histopathologic and immunohistochemical analysis helps to determine the primary site. Read More

Clin Nucl Med 2019 Sep;44(9):e524-e525

From the Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Jeonnam, Republic of Korea.

In patients with suspicious bone metastasis, the clinical impact of PET/CT for differential diagnosis and primary lesion identification could differ according to F-FDG uptake patterns. We report the findings in patients with suspicious bone metastasis who underwent PET/CT for the evaluation of the primary lesion site and were classified in a stepwise manner, first based on the multiplicity of positive bone uptake and then the presence of extraskeletal uptake. Read More

Am J Clin Oncol 2019 08;42(8):643-648

Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Melanoma Medical Oncology Unit.

Objective: Prognosis of patients with metastatic melanoma has dramatically improved over recent years because of the advent of antibodies targeting programmed cell death protein-1 (PD1). However, the response rate is ~40% and baseline biomarkers for the outcome are yet to be identified. Here, we aimed to determine whether artificial intelligence might be useful in weighting the importance of baseline variables in predicting response to anti-PD1. Read More

Cancer Radiother 2019 Sep 27;23(5):426-431. Epub 2019 Jun 27.

Department of Radiation Oncology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China. Electronic address:

The purpose of this article was to report the treatment effect of image-guided high-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy boost in the radical radiotherapy for a huge metastatic carcinoma of cervical lymph nodes from an unknown primary site. The patient was a 75-year-old male. A diagnostic biopsy showed metastatic squamous cell carcinoma and the tumour size was 7. Read More

Magy Onkol 2019 06 7;63(2):75-84. Epub 2019 Apr 7.

II. Sz. Patológiai Intézet, Semmelweis Egyetem, Budapest, Hungary.

Cancer of Unknown Primary origin (CUP) is characterized by metastatic tumor spread without identifiable primary tumor. CUP cohort was selected from 6966 autopsy cases (2001-2014). Type-1 ("clinical") CUPs: primary site was not found clinically but identified by autopsy. Read More

Magy Onkol 2019 06 30;63(2):67-74. Epub 2019 Mar 30.

II. Sz. Patológiai Intézet, Semmelweis Egyetem, Budapest, Hungary.

CUP (Cancer of Unknown Primary) is a relatively frequent cancer type causing incomparable difficulties in pathological diagnosis as compared to other tumor types. The primary may even remain unknown at authopsy due to microscopic size or previous regression. By applying the biological, epidemiological cancer information it is possible to compose rational pathological differential diagnostic algorithms to define with high probability the primary site of the cancer. Read More

Int J Clin Oncol 2019 Oct 15;24(10):1328-1331. Epub 2019 Jun 15.

Emeritus Professor, University of Ioannina, Niarchos Avenue, 45110, Ioannina, Greece.

Cancer of unknown primary site (CUP) is a deadly disease diagnosed through metastases at various organs without primary tumor identification. Despite the major molecular and technological advances, the carcinogenesis of CUP remains enigmatic which hampers adequate study design of treatments leading to survival improvement. To date, the pathogenesis of CUP is still debatable with one hypothesis considering CUP simply a group of metastatic tumors with unidentified primaries and another considering it a distinct entity with specific genetic and phenotypic aberrations. Read More

Anticancer Res 2019 Jun;39(6):3185-3189

Department of Surgery, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

Background: Bowel obstruction is commonly encountered in patients with advanced colorectal cancer; however, the cause of obstruction remains unknown. This study aimed to clarify a predictor of bowel obstruction due to colorectal cancer growth.

Materials And Methods: Between January 2005 and December 2013, the medical records of 140 patients with T3 or T4 colorectal cancer who underwent curative resection (R0) at our Hospital were investigated retrospectively. Read More