Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Cancer of unknown primary origin epidemiology and demographics
Introduction
Overview
Overview
The prevalence of cancer of unknown primary origin is approximately 10 cases per 100,000 individuals worldwide. Patients of all age groups may develop cancer of unknown primary origin. In most cases cancer of unknown primary origin affects men and women equally. There is no racial predilection to cancer of unknown primary origin.
Epidemiology and Demographics
Epidemiology and Demographics
Incidence
- The prevalence of cancer of unknown primary origin is approximately 10 cases per 100,000 individuals worldwide.[1][2]
- Cancer of unknown primary origin is common, and it accounts for 3–5% of all malignant epithelial tumors.[3]
- Cancer of unknown primary origin is the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death.[1]
Age
- Patients of all age groups may develop cancer of unknown primary origin.
- Cancer of unknown primary origin is more commonly observed among adults and elderly patients with a mean age of 59 upon presentation.[4]
Gender
- Cancer of unknown primary origin affects men and women equally except for squamous cell carcinomas where males are affected twice as frequently as females.[5]
Race
- There is no racial predilection to cancer of unknown primary origin.
References
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Urban D, Rao A, Bressel M, Lawrence YR, Mileshkin L (2013). “Cancer of unknown primary: a population-based analysis of temporal change and socioeconomic disparities”. Br. J. Cancer. 109 (5): 1318–24. doi:10.1038/bjc.2013.386. PMC 3778275. PMID 23860528.
- ↑ Fong T, Govindan R, Morgensztern D. Cancer of unknown primary. J Clin Oncol 2008 ASCO Ann Meet Proc. 2008;26 (15S:22159.
- ↑ Pavlidis N, Pentheroudakis G (2012). “Cancer of unknown primary site”. Lancet. 379 (9824): 1428–35. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(11)61178-1. PMID 22414598.
- ↑ Abbruzzese JL, Abbruzzese MC, Hess KR, Raber MN, Lenzi R, Frost P (1994). “Unknown primary carcinoma: natural history and prognostic factors in 657 consecutive patients”. J Clin Oncol. 12 (6): 1272–80. doi:10.1200/JCO.1994.12.6.1272. PMID 8201389.
- ↑ Muir C (1995). “Cancer of unknown primary site”. Cancer. 75 (1 Suppl): 353–6. PMID 8001006.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: , Roukoz A. Karam, M.D.[2]