Unknown Primary Cancer in New South Wales

Cancer reports
01 May 2008
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In 2005, there were 1,401 new cases of cancer of ill-defined or unknown primary site (CUP) in NSW (715 male, 686 female), accounting for 3.7% of all cancers in males and 4.6% in females.

There were 940 cancer deaths from CUP (446 males and 494 females), which is 6.9% of male cancer deaths and 8.5% of female cancer deaths. Males were 1.3 times more likely to be diagnosed and 1.4 times more likely to die from CUP than females.

Cancers of unknown primary sites are routinely recorded in population-based cancer registries and in descriptive reports of registry data. They have traditionally been considered metastatic cancers where the primary site of origin had not been confirmed. Yet, cancers of unknown primary site are increasingly recognised as distinct clinical and pathological entities, characterised by rapid progression and atypical metastatic spread. Registries commonly refer to the proportions of cancers in this category as indicators of data quality.

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