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Ma W, Wu H, Chen Y, Xu H, Jiang J, Du B, Wan M, Ma X, Chen X, Lin L, Su X, Bao X, Shen Y, Xu N, Ruan J, Jiang H, Ding Y. New techniques to identify the tissue of origin for cancer of unknown primary in the era of precision medicine: progress and challenges. Brief Bioinform 2024; 25:bbae028. [PMID: 38343328 PMCID: PMC10859692 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbae028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite a standardized diagnostic examination, cancer of unknown primary (CUP) is a rare metastatic malignancy with an unidentified tissue of origin (TOO). Patients diagnosed with CUP are typically treated with empiric chemotherapy, although their prognosis is worse than those with metastatic cancer of a known origin. TOO identification of CUP has been employed in precision medicine, and subsequent site-specific therapy is clinically helpful. For example, molecular profiling, including genomic profiling, gene expression profiling, epigenetics and proteins, has facilitated TOO identification. Moreover, machine learning has improved identification accuracy, and non-invasive methods, such as liquid biopsy and image omics, are gaining momentum. However, the heterogeneity in prediction accuracy, sample requirements and technical fundamentals among the various techniques is noteworthy. Accordingly, we systematically reviewed the development and limitations of novel TOO identification methods, compared their pros and cons and assessed their potential clinical usefulness. Our study may help patients shift from empirical to customized care and improve their prognoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyuan Ma
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hui Wu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yiran Chen
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hongxia Xu
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJU-UoE Institute), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
| | - Junjie Jiang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bang Du
- Real Doctor AI Research Centre, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Mingyu Wan
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaolu Ma
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyu Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lili Lin
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xinhui Su
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xuanwen Bao
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yifei Shen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Nong Xu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian Ruan
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Haiping Jiang
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yongfeng Ding
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
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Fu Y, Ruan W, Sun X, Hu F, Lan X, Liu F. Added value of regional 18F-FDG PET/MRI-assisted whole-body 18F-FDG PET/CT in malignant ascites with unknown primary origin. Eur J Hybrid Imaging 2023; 7:22. [PMID: 38044389 PMCID: PMC10694118 DOI: 10.1186/s41824-023-00179-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Comparing to PET/CT, integrative PET/MRI imaging provides superior soft tissue resolution. This study aims to evaluate the added value of regional delayed 18F-FDG PET/MRI-assisted whole-body 18F-FDG PET/CT in diagnosing malignant ascites patients. RESULTS The final diagnosis included 22 patients with ovarian cancer (n = 11), peritoneal cancer (n = 3), colon cancer (n = 2), liver cancer (n = 2), pancreatic cancer (n = 2), gastric cancer (n = 1), and fallopian tube cancer (n = 1). The diagnosis of the primary tumor using whole-body PET/CT was correct in 11 cases. Regional PET/MRI-assisted whole-body PET/CT diagnosis was correct in 18 cases, including 6 more cases of ovarian cancer and 1 more case of fallopian tube cancer. Among 4 cases that were not diagnosed correctly, 1 case had the primary tumor outside of the PET/MRI scan area, 2 cases were peritoneal cancer, and 1 case was colon cancer. The diagnostic accuracy of regional PET/MRI-assisted whole-body PET/CT was higher than PET/CT alone (81.8% vs. 50.0%, κ 2 = 5.14, p = 0.023). The primary tumor conspicuity score of PET/MRI was higher than PET/CT (3.67 ± 0.66 vs. 2.76 ± 0.94, P < 0.01). In the same scan area, more metastases were detected in PET/MRI than in PET/CT (156 vs. 86 in total, and 7.43 ± 5.17 vs. 4.10 ± 1.92 per patient, t = 3.89, P < 0.01). Lesion-to-background ratio in PET/MRI was higher than that in PET/CT (10.76 ± 5.16 vs. 6.56 ± 3.45, t = 13.02, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION Comparing to whole-body PET/CT alone, additional delayed regional PET/MRI with high soft tissue resolution is helpful in diagnosing the location of the primary tumor and identifying more metastases in patients with malignant ascites. Yet larger sample size in multicenter and prospective clinical researches is still needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiru Fu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, Hubei, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, Hubei, China
| | - Weiwei Ruan
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, Hubei, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, Hubei, China
| | - Xun Sun
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, Hubei, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy of the Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Fan Hu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, Hubei, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy of the Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Xiaoli Lan
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, Hubei, China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, Hubei, China.
- Key Laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy of the Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430022, China.
| | - Fang Liu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, Hubei, China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, Hubei, China.
- Key Laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy of the Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430022, China.
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Extensive diagnostic work-up for patients with carcinoma of unknown primary. Clin Exp Metastasis 2021; 38:231-238. [PMID: 33515369 DOI: 10.1007/s10585-021-10073-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Patients with carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) present with metastatic disease without an identified primary tumour. The unknown site of origin makes the diagnostic work-up and treatment challenging. Since little information is available regarding diagnostic work-up and treatment in daily practice, we collected and analysed these in a patient cohort with regard to the recommendations of the national CUP guideline. Data of 161 patients diagnosed with CUP in 2014 or 2015 were extracted from the Netherlands Cancer Registry (NCR) and supplemented with diagnostic work-up information from patient files and analysed. Patients underwent an average of five imaging studies during the diagnostic phase (range 1-17). From the tests as recommended in the national guideline on CUP, a chest X-ray was most commonly performed (73%), whereas a PET-CT was done in one out of four patients (24%). Biopsies were taken in 86% of the study population, with Cytokeratin 7 being the most frequently tested histopathological marker (73%). Less than half of patients received therapy (42%). CUP patients undergo extensive diagnostic work-up. The performance status did not influence the extent of the diagnostic work-up in CUP patients, but it was an important factor for receiving treatment.
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He B, Dai C, Lang J, Bing P, Tian G, Wang B, Yang J. A machine learning framework to trace tumor tissue-of-origin of 13 types of cancer based on DNA somatic mutation. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2020; 1866:165916. [PMID: 32771416 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2020.165916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP), defined as metastatic cancers with unknown cancer origin, occurs in 3-5 per 100 cancer patients in the United States. Heterogeneity and metastasis of cancer brings great difficulties to the follow-up diagnosis and treatment for CUP. To find the tissue-of-origin (TOO) of the CUP, multiple methods have been raised. However, the accuracies for computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET) to identify TOO were 20%-27% and 24%-40% respectively, which were not enough for determining targeted therapies. In this study, we provide a machine learning framework to trace tumor tissue origin by using gene length-normalized somatic mutation sequencing data. Somatic mutation data was downloaded from the Data Portal (Release 28) of the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC), and 4909 samples for 13 cancers was used to identify primary site of cancers. Optimal results were obtained based on a 600-gene set by using the random forest algorithm with 10-fold cross-validation, and the average accuracy and F1-score were 0.8822 and 0.8886 respectively across 13 types of cancer. In conclusion, we provide an effective computational framework to infer cancer tissue-of-origin by combining DNA sequencing and machine learning techniques, which is promising in assisting clinical diagnosis of cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingsheng He
- Academician Workstation, Changsha Medical University, Changsha 410219, China.
| | - Chan Dai
- Geneis Beijing Co., Ltd., Beijing 100102, China
| | - Jidong Lang
- Geneis Beijing Co., Ltd., Beijing 100102, China
| | - Pingping Bing
- Academician Workstation, Changsha Medical University, Changsha 410219, China
| | - Geng Tian
- Geneis Beijing Co., Ltd., Beijing 100102, China
| | - Bo Wang
- Geneis Beijing Co., Ltd., Beijing 100102, China.
| | - Jialiang Yang
- Academician Workstation, Changsha Medical University, Changsha 410219, China; Geneis Beijing Co., Ltd., Beijing 100102, China.
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Liu X, Li L, Peng L, Wang B, Lang J, Lu Q, Zhang X, Sun Y, Tian G, Zhang H, Zhou L. Predicting Cancer Tissue-of-Origin by a Machine Learning Method Using DNA Somatic Mutation Data. Front Genet 2020; 11:674. [PMID: 32760423 PMCID: PMC7372518 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.00674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients with carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) account for 3-5% of all cancer cases. A large number of metastatic cancers require further diagnosis to determine their tissue of origin. However, diagnosis of CUP and identification of its primary site are challenging. Previous studies have suggested that molecular profiling of tissue-specific genes could be useful in inferring the primary tissue of a tumor. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance somatic mutations detected in a tumor to identify the cancer tissue of origin. We downloaded the somatic mutation datasets from the International Cancer Genome Consortium project. The random forest algorithm was used to extract features, and a classifier was established based on the logistic regression. Specifically, the somatic mutations of 300 genes were extracted, which are significantly enriched in functions, such as cell-to-cell adhesion. In addition, the prediction accuracy on tissue-of-origin inference for 3,374 cancer samples across 13 cancer types reached 81% in a 10-fold cross-validation. Our method could be useful in the identification of cancer tissue of origin, as well as the diagnosis and treatment of cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojun Liu
- School of Computer Science, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou, China
| | | | - Lihong Peng
- School of Computer Science, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou, China
| | - Bo Wang
- Genesis Beijing Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | | | | | | | - Yi Sun
- Chifeng Municipal Hospital, Chifeng, China
| | - Geng Tian
- Genesis Beijing Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Huajun Zhang
- College of Mathematics and Computer Science, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China
| | - Liqian Zhou
- School of Computer Science, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou, China
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He B, Lang J, Wang B, Liu X, Lu Q, He J, Gao W, Bing P, Tian G, Yang J. TOOme: A Novel Computational Framework to Infer Cancer Tissue-of-Origin by Integrating Both Gene Mutation and Expression. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:394. [PMID: 32509741 PMCID: PMC7248358 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Metastatic cancers require further diagnosis to determine their primary tumor sites. However, the tissue-of-origin for around 5% tumors could not be identified by routine medical diagnosis according to a statistics in the United States. With the development of machine learning techniques and the accumulation of big cancer data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), it is now feasible to predict cancer tissue-of-origin by computational tools. Metastatic tumor inherits characteristics from its tissue-of-origin, and both gene expression profile and somatic mutation have tissue specificity. Thus, we developed a computational framework to infer tumor tissue-of-origin by integrating both gene mutation and expression (TOOme). Specifically, we first perform feature selection on both gene expressions and mutations by a random forest method. The selected features are then used to build up a multi-label classification model to infer cancer tissue-of-origin. We adopt a few popular multiple-label classification methods, which are compared by the 10-fold cross validation process. We applied TOOme to the TCGA data containing 7,008 non-metastatic samples across 20 solid tumors. Seventy four genes by gene expression profile and six genes by gene mutation are selected by the random forest process, which can be divided into two categories: (1) cancer type specific genes and (2) those expressed or mutated in several cancers with different levels of expression or mutation rates. Function analysis indicates that the selected genes are significantly enriched in gland development, urogenital system development, hormone metabolic process, thyroid hormone generation prostate hormone generation and so on. According to the multiple-label classification method, random forest performs the best with a 10-fold cross-validation prediction accuracy of 96%. We also use the 19 metastatic samples from TCGA and 256 cancer samples downloaded from GEO as independent testing data, for which TOOme achieves a prediction accuracy of 89%. The cross-validation validation accuracy is better than those using gene expression (i.e., 95%) and gene mutation (53%) alone. In conclusion, TOOme provides a quick yet accurate alternative to traditional medical methods in inferring cancer tissue-of-origin. In addition, the methods combining somatic mutation and gene expressions outperform those using gene expression or mutation alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binsheng He
- Academician Workstation, Changsha Medical University, Changsha, China
| | | | - Bo Wang
- Geneis Beijing Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | | | | | - Jianjun He
- Academician Workstation, Changsha Medical University, Changsha, China
| | - Wei Gao
- Fujian Provincial Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Pingping Bing
- Academician Workstation, Changsha Medical University, Changsha, China
| | - Geng Tian
- Geneis Beijing Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
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A Review on Cancer of Unknown Primary Origin: The Role of Molecular Biomarkers in the Identification of Unknown Primary Origin. Methods Mol Biol 2020; 2204:109-119. [PMID: 32710319 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0904-0_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The primary site cannot be found after clinical and pathological evaluation, which are called cancers of unknown primary origin (CUP). CUPs may resemble a specific primary tumor site which shares common clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis. However, it may be present as a distinct disease entity with undifferentiated pathological features. More than 4% of patients are diagnosed as CUP. These patients were diagnosed as malignant tumors by cytology or pathology. And they were usually treated with empirical chemotherapy and associated with a poor prognosis. How to accurately diagnose and treat a cancer of unknown primary origin is a major clinical concern. To address this question, a complex assessment is carried out which includes a complete medical history of the patient, physical examination, complete blood count, urinalysis, serum chemistries, histologic evaluation, chest radiograph, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) studies. Molecular diagnostic information reflects that CUP's molecular characteristics are similar to primary tumors with the development of genomics and the expansion of gene sequencing technology. Gene expression profiling is the most commonly used molecular diagnostic method for CUP. In this chapter, we summarize the current diagnostic methods and challenges of CUP, and the clinical value of the molecular-level tumor diagnostic technique.
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Burglin SA, Hess S, Høilund-Carlsen PF, Gerke O. 18F-FDG PET/CT for detection of the primary tumor in adults with extracervical metastases from cancer of unknown primary: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore) 2017; 96:e6713. [PMID: 28422888 PMCID: PMC5406105 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000006713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) is a heterogeneous group of cancers, so called when a biopsy from a patient reveals malignancy without giving a clue to where in the body the primary tumor is located. Whole-body 18-fluorine-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission-tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) is widely used for diagnosis and staging of most cancers. We hypothesized that 18F-FDG PET/CT-especially if used early-is suitable for the detection of the primary tumor in patients with CUP. OBJECTIVE To assess the ability of 18F-FDG PET/CT to detect the primary tumor in adult CUP patients. DATA SOURCES PubMed/Medline, Embase, and Web of Science. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Studies on CUP from extracervical metastases in which every patient had received an 18F-FDG PET/CT scan and at least one 18F-FDG PET/CT-positive finding was confirmed by biopsy or clinical follow-up. STUDY APPRAISAL PRISMA and QUADAS-2 were applied. SYNTHESIS METHODS The pooled detection rate (DR) of 18F-FDG PET/CT was assessed with a fixed-effects model. Heterogeneity among studies was assessed with the I-squared statistic. RESULTS A total of 2953 articles were identified from which N = 82 were assessed by full text and N = 20, comprising 1942 adult patients, were included in the study. Median (range) number of patients and DR was N = 72 (21-316) and 36.3% (9.8%-75.3%), respectively. Two-thirds of included studies were retrospective, and the pooled DR was 40.93% (95% confidence interval: 38.99%-42.87%). There was large heterogeneity between studies (I-squared = 95.9%), randomization was not applied, CUP diagnosis was not standardized, and workup (if described) was characterized by multiple testing procedures resulting in a highly selected, challenging patient group. CONCLUSIONS Despite great heterogeneity in diagnostic workup and in studies in general, an overall DR of 40.93% suggests that upfront application of 18F-FDG PET/CT may have a role in CUP by obviating a great many futile diagnostic procedures. To what degree 18F-FDG PET/CT used early in the course of disease may improve the detection rate could not be deducted from selected articles. A large, prospective, preferably randomized, study on the potential benefit of using 18F-FDG PET/CT up front in CUP patients is warranted to judge if and when 18F-FDG PET/CT should be applied in these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Synne Alexandra Burglin
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Odense University Hospital
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense C
| | - Søren Hess
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Odense University Hospital
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense C
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Hospital South West Jutland, Esbjerg
| | - Poul Flemming Høilund-Carlsen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Odense University Hospital
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense C
| | - Oke Gerke
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Odense University Hospital
- Centre of Health Economics Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark
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Dyrvig AK, Yderstræde KB, Gerke O, Jensen PB, Hess S, Høilund-Carlsen PF, Green A. Cancer of unknown primary: Registered procedures compared with national integrated cancer pathway for illuminating external validity. Medicine (Baltimore) 2017; 96:e6693. [PMID: 28422885 PMCID: PMC5406101 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000006693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) ranges within top 10 cancers in both incidence and mortality. As primary identification is crucial to choosing treatment, guidelines on CUP emphasize the diagnostic strategy. Whether guidelines are complied with, or if they are indeed helpful, is however unclear. We compared procedures performed in suspected CUP patients with recommendations of national guidelines to assess external validity of guidelines.The Danish National Patient Registry (NPR) comprising population data was utilized to identify the suspected CUP patients during 2009 to 2010 and explore exposure to procedures and patient survival. The cohort was investigated in terms of validity of diagnosis through cross-referencing with the Cancer Registry (CR), which served as gold standard for cancer diagnoses and patients' cancer histories.The NPR cohort consisted of 542 patients (275 males, 264 females) of whom 210 (38.7%) had a CUP diagnosis confirmed. Within the cohort, 347 patients (64.0%) had a registration in CR matching with the NPR registration. Exposure to diagnostic procedures included biopsy (n = 439, 81.0%) and image modalities (n = 532, 98.2%). Survival was poor with 67 (12.4%) individuals alive after 4 years.The validity of a CUP diagnosis in NPR was low when using data from CR as reference. More than half the suspected CUP patients had a previous cancer diagnosis with CUP being the most frequent. Patients were diagnosed in compliance with guidelines indicating high external validity, but less than 1 quarter had their primary identified and the 1-year survival was approximately 20%. Research is needed to develop efficacious methods for primary detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Kirstine Dyrvig
- Centre for Innovative Medical Technology, Odense C
- Department of Surgery, Svendborg
| | | | - Oke Gerke
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Odense University Hospital, Odense C
- Centre of Health Economics Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M
| | - Peter Bjødstrup Jensen
- Odense Patient data Explorative Network (OPEN), Odense University Hospital
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense C
| | - Søren Hess
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Odense University Hospital, Odense C
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense C
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Hospital South West Jutland, Esbjerg, Denmark
| | - Poul Flemming Høilund-Carlsen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Odense University Hospital, Odense C
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense C
| | - Anders Green
- Odense Patient data Explorative Network (OPEN), Odense University Hospital
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense C
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Subramaniam RM, Shields AF, Sachedina A, Hanna L, Duan F, Siegel BA, Hillner BE. Impact on Patient Management of [18F]-Fluorodeoxyglucose-Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Used for Cancer Diagnosis: Analysis of Data From the National Oncologic PET Registry. Oncologist 2016; 21:1079-84. [PMID: 27401896 DOI: 10.1634/theoncologist.2015-0364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2015] [Accepted: 05/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION We assessed the impact of [(18)F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET) on intended management of patients in the National Oncologic PET Registry (NOPR) for three different diagnostic indications: (a) determining whether a suspicious lesion is cancer (Dx), (b) detecting an unknown primary tumor site when there is confirmed or strongly suspected metastatic disease (cancer of unknown primary origin [CUP]), and (c) detecting a primary tumor site when there is a presumed paraneoplastic syndrome (PNS). METHODS We reviewed a sample of randomly selected reports of NOPR subjects who underwent PET for Dx and CUP and all reports for PNS to find subjects for analysis. For these studies, we evaluated the impact of PET on referring physicians' intended management, based on their management plans reported before and after PET. RESULTS Intended management was changed more frequently in the CUP group (43.1%) than in the Dx (23.9%) and PNS (25.4%) groups (CUP vs. Dx, p < .0001; PNS vs. Dx, p < .0001; CUP vs. PNS, p < .0002). Referring physicians reported that, in light of PET results, they were able to avoid further testing in approximately three-fourths of patients (71.8%-74.6%). At the time when the post-PET forms were completed, biopsies of suspicious sites had been performed in 21.2%, 32.4%, and 23.2%, respectively, of Dx, CUP, and PNS cases. CONCLUSION Our analysis of NOPR data shows that PET appears to have a substantial impact on intended management when used for three common diagnostic indications. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE [(18)F]-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography appears to have a substantial impact on intended management when used for three targeted diagnostic indications: (a) determining whether a suspicious lesion is cancer, (b) detecting an unknown primary tumor site in a patient with confirmed or strongly suspected metastatic disease, and (c) detecting a primary tumor site in a patient with a presumed paraneoplastic syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rathan M Subramaniam
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Anthony F Shields
- Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Archana Sachedina
- Division of Nuclear Medicine, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Lucy Hanna
- Center for Statistical Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Fenghai Duan
- Center for Statistical Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Barry A Siegel
- Division of Nuclear Medicine, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Bruce E Hillner
- Department of Internal Medicine and the Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
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Benderra MA, Ilié M, Hofman P, Massard C. [Standard of care of carcinomas on cancer of unknown primary site in 2016]. Bull Cancer 2016; 103:697-705. [PMID: 27372228 DOI: 10.1016/j.bulcan.2016.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2016] [Revised: 05/09/2016] [Accepted: 05/10/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Patients with Cancer of unknown primary (cup) represent 2-10%, and have disseminated cancers for which we cannot find the primary site despite the clinical, pathological and radiological exams at our disposal. Diagnosis is based on a thorough clinical and histopathologic examination as well as new imaging techniques. Several clinicopathologic entities requiring specific treatment can be identified. Genome sequencing and liquid biopsy (circulating tumor cells and tumor free DNA) could allow further advances in the diagnosis. Therapeutically, in addition to surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, precision medicine provides new therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc-Antoine Benderra
- Gustave-Roussy Cancer Campus, département d'oncologie médicale, 114, rue Édouard-Vaillant, 94800 Villejuif, France
| | - Marius Ilié
- CHU de Nice, hôpital Pasteur, laboratoire de pathologie clinique et expérimentale, 06000 Nice, France; Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, faculté de médecine, Ircan Inserm U1081/CNRS UMR 7284, 06000 Nice, France; CHU de Nice, fédération hospitalo-universitaire OncoAge, 06000 Nice, France
| | - Paul Hofman
- CHU de Nice, hôpital Pasteur, laboratoire de pathologie clinique et expérimentale, 06000 Nice, France; Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, faculté de médecine, Ircan Inserm U1081/CNRS UMR 7284, 06000 Nice, France; CHU de Nice, fédération hospitalo-universitaire OncoAge, 06000 Nice, France; CHU de Nice, hôpital Pasteur, Biobanque hospitalière (BB 0025-00033), 06000 Nice, France
| | - Christophe Massard
- Gustave-Roussy Cancer Campus, département d'oncologie médicale, 114, rue Édouard-Vaillant, 94800 Villejuif, France.
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YAYLALI O, KIRAÇ FS, YÜKSEL D. The role of 18F-FDG PET-CT in the detection of unknown primary malignancy: a retrospective study. Turk J Med Sci 2016; 46:474-82. [DOI: 10.3906/sag-1502-99] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2015] [Accepted: 07/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
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Role of 2-Fluoro-2-Deoxyglucose PET/Computed Tomography in Carcinoma of Unknown Primary. PET Clin 2015; 10:297-310. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cpet.2015.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Economopoulou P, Mountzios G, Pavlidis N, Pentheroudakis G. Cancer of Unknown Primary origin in the genomic era: Elucidating the dark box of cancer. Cancer Treat Rev 2015; 41:598-604. [PMID: 26033502 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2015.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2015] [Revised: 05/19/2015] [Accepted: 05/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Cancer of Unknown Primary (CUP) comprises a heterogeneous disease group with diagnosis of metastatic malignancy in the absence of an identifiable primary site after diagnostic work up. CUP may either resemble a specific primary tumor site sharing common clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis, or present as a distinct disease entity with undifferentiated pathological features, usually bearing dismal prognosis. Diagnosis and management have traditionally been based on clinicopathological characteristics and therapeutic strategies have been mainly empirical. In the last decade, the advent of massive gene sequencing and the advances in genomic technologies have shed light on the genomic landscape of CUP. Several gene panel tests are currently commercially available and are used in an effort to correlate the genomic characteristics of a specific CUP tumor to those of a known primary tumor, guiding thus therapeutic management. Nevertheless, these efforts are hampered by the rarity of CUP and the inability to validate the results of such tests due to the paucity of randomized clinical trials. In the current work, we provide an overview of CUP with emphasis on the impact of the genome sequencing technologies on diagnosis and management of these tumors. We also discuss potential implications of genomics for the future treatment of CUP and address the challenges of the implementation of these therapeutic strategies in routine clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiota Economopoulou
- Medical Oncology Unit, 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Propaideutic, Attikon University Hospital, Haidari, Greece
| | - Giannis Mountzios
- Medical Oncology Dpt, University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece
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Population-based incidence, treatment and survival of patients with peritoneal metastases of unknown origin. Eur J Cancer 2013; 50:50-6. [PMID: 24011935 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2013.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2013] [Revised: 08/02/2013] [Accepted: 08/12/2013] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
AIM Until recently, peritoneal metastases (PM) were regarded as an untreatable condition, regardless of the organ of origin. Currently, promising treatment options are available for selected patients with PM from colorectal, appendiceal, ovarian or gastric carcinoma. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence, treatment and survival of patients presenting with PM in whom the origin of PM remains unknown. METHODS Data from patients diagnosed with PM of unknown origin during 1984-2010 were extracted from the Eindhoven Cancer Registry. European age-standardised incidence rates were calculated and data on treatment and survival were analysed. RESULTS In total 1051 patients were diagnosed with PM of unknown origin. In 606 patients (58%) the peritoneum was the only site of metastasis, and 445 patients also had other metastases. Chemotherapy usage has increased from 8% in the earliest period to 16% in most recent years (p=.016). Median survival was extremely poor with only 42days (95% confidence interval (CI) 39-47days) and did not change over time. Median survival of patients not receiving chemotherapy was significantly worse than of those receiving chemotherapy (36 versus 218days, p<.0001). CONCLUSION The prognosis of PM of unknown origin is extremely poor and did not improve over time. Given the recent progress that has been achieved in selected patients presenting with PM, maximum efforts should be undertaken in order to diagnose the origin of PM as accurately as possible. Potentially effective treatment strategies should be further explored for patients in whom the organ of origin remains unknown.
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Cancer of unknown primary sites: what radiologists need to know and what oncologists want to know. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2013; 200:484-92. [PMID: 23436835 DOI: 10.2214/ajr.12.9363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In this article, we review the role of imaging in cancer of unknown primary site (CUP) diagnosis and management and the utility of immunohistochemistry, serum tumor markers, and molecular profiling in the optimized care of CUP patients. CONCLUSION With advances in imaging, pathology, and molecular medicine, the diagnosis and management of CUP have evolved into more personalized and site-specific therapies. A multidisciplinary integrated approach among oncologists, pathologists, and radiologists is extremely important.
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Talavera-Rubio MDP, García-Vicente AM, Palomar-Muñoz AM, Pilkington-Woll JP, Poblete-García VM, Soriano-Castrejón A. [Usefulness of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography-computerized tomography in the identification of the primary tumor in patients with cancer of unknown origin]. Med Clin (Barc) 2013. [PMID: 23177314 DOI: 10.1016/j.medcli.2012.04.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE We determined the utility of the (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)-computerized tomography (CT) in the localization of the primary tumor in patients with tumor of unknown origin (TUO). PATIENTS AND METHOD (18)F-FDG PET-CT scans, performed between November 2006 and November 2010, in search for the primary tumor in patients with TUO, were retrospectively evaluated. Patients underwent a standard PET-CT, 50-60minutes after intravenous injection of 296-370MBq (18)F-FDG. PET-CT studies were assessed as pathological, with/without identification of the primary tumour and no pathological. Final diagnosis was established by histological confirmation and/or clinical/radiologic follow-up longer than 6 months. RESULTS We studied 74 patients (59 males, 15 females), with ages ranging from 41-89 years. In 38 (51%) patients the PET-CT assessed the correct origin of the primary tumour. In 8 cases, a histological confirmation in the primary lesion was obtained. In 4 patients the PET-CT showed a false positive result. CONCLUSION PET-CT scanning identified 51% of the primary sites in our sample of patients.
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Møller AKH, Loft A, Berthelsen AK, Pedersen KD, Graff J, Christensen CB, Costa JC, Skovgaard LT, Perell K, Petersen BL, Daugaard G. A prospective comparison of 18F-FDG PET/CT and CT as diagnostic tools to identify the primary tumor site in patients with extracervical carcinoma of unknown primary site. Oncologist 2012; 17:1146-54. [PMID: 22711751 DOI: 10.1634/theoncologist.2011-0449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The aim of the present study was to evaluate prospectively the diagnostic value of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ((18)F-FDG PET/CT) and conventional CT regarding the ability to detect the primary tumor site in patients with extracervical metastases from carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) site. PATIENTS AND METHODS From January 2006 to December 2010, 136 newly diagnosed CUP patients with extracervical metastases underwent (18)F-FDG PET/CT. A standard of reference (SR) was established by a multidisciplinary team to ensure that the same set of criteria were used for classification of patients, that is, either as CUP patients or patients with a suggested primary tumor site. The independently obtained suggestions of primary tumor sites using PET/CT and CT were correlated with the SR to reach a consensus regarding true-positive (TP), true-negative, false-negative, and false-positive results. RESULTS SR identified a primary tumor site in 66 CUP patients (48.9%). PET/CT identified 38 TP primary tumor sites and CT identified 43 TP primary tumor sites. No statistically significant differences were observed between (18)F-FDG PET/CT and CT alone in regard to sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. CONCLUSION In the general CUP population with multiple extracervical metastases (18)F-FDG PET/CT does not represent a clear diagnostic advantage over CT alone regarding the ability to detect the primary tumor site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Kirstine H Møller
- Department of Oncology 5073, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.
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Stella GM, Senetta R, Cassenti A, Ronco M, Cassoni P. Cancers of unknown primary origin: current perspectives and future therapeutic strategies. J Transl Med 2012; 10:12. [PMID: 22272606 PMCID: PMC3315427 DOI: 10.1186/1479-5876-10-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2011] [Accepted: 01/24/2012] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
It is widely accepted that systemic neoplastic spread is a late event in tumour progression. However, sometimes, rapidly invasive cancers are diagnosed because of appearance of metastatic lesions in absence of a clearly detectable primary mass. This kind of disease is referred to as cancer of unknown primary (CUP) origin and accounts for 3-5% of all cancer diagnosis. There is poor consensus on the extent of diagnostic and pathologic evaluations required for these enigmatic cases which still lack effective treatment. Although technology to predict the primary tumour site of origin is improving rapidly, the key issue is concerning the biology which drives early occult metastatic spreading. This review provides the state of the art about clinical and therapeutic management of this malignant syndrome; main interest is addressed to the most recent improvements in CUP molecular biology and pathology, which will lead to successful tailored therapeutic options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Maria Stella
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (IRCC), Candiolo (Turin), Italy.
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Unsuspected perforated Richter hernia in the inguinal canal detected by F-18 FDG PET/CT. Clin Nucl Med 2011; 36:1118-9. [PMID: 22064085 DOI: 10.1097/rlu.0b013e3182335ddf] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Bone Metastasis From Thyroid Cancer Diagnosed by I-131 Whole-Body Scan Without Identifiable Lesion in the Thyroid. Clin Nucl Med 2011; 36:1033-5. [DOI: 10.1097/rlu.0b013e3182291acd] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Moller AKH, Loft A, Berthelsen AK, Damgaard Pedersen K, Graff J, Christensen CB, Perell K, Petersen BL, Daugaard G. 18F-FDG PET/CT as a diagnostic tool in patients with extracervical carcinoma of unknown primary site: a literature review. Oncologist 2011; 16:445-51. [PMID: 21427201 DOI: 10.1634/theoncologist.2010-0189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) represents a heterogeneous group of metastatic malignancies for which no primary tumor site can be identified after extensive diagnostic workup. Failure to identify the primary site may negatively influence patient management. The aim of this review was to evaluate (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ((18)F-FDG PET/CT) as a diagnostic tool in patients with extracervical CUP. MATERIALS AND METHODS A comprehensive literature search was performed and four publications were identified (involving 152 patients) evaluating (18)F-FDG PET/CT in CUP patients with extracervical metastases. All studies were retrospective and heterogeneous in inclusion criteria, study design, and diagnostic workup prior to (18)F-FDG PET/CT. RESULTS (18)F-FDG PET/CT detected the primary tumor in 39.5% of patients with extracervical CUP. The lung was the most commonly detected primary tumor site (∼50%). The pooled estimates of sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of (18)F-FDG PET/CT in the detection of the primary tumor site were 87%, 88%, and 87.5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The present review of currently available data indicates that (18)F-FDG PET/CT might contribute to the identification of the primary tumor site in extracervical CUP. However, prospective studies with more uniform inclusion criteria are required to evaluate the exact value of this diagnostic tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Kirstine Hundahl Moller
- Department of Oncology 5073, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.
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The value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography in carcinoma of an unknown primary: diagnosis and follow-up. Nucl Med Commun 2010; 31:59-66. [DOI: 10.1097/mnm.0b013e328332b340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Wang LY, Wu MZ, Yen RF, Tzen KY. Asymptomatic thymic carcinoma with solitary hepatic metastasis detected by fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography. J Formos Med Assoc 2009; 108:677-80. [PMID: 19666356 DOI: 10.1016/s0929-6646(09)60389-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Thymic carcinoma is a rare anterior mediastinal malignancy. Most patients present initially with chest pain, cough or dyspnea. Asymptomatic patients account for less than one third of the total cases. Thymic carcinoma is aggressive and tends to metastasize to the lymph nodes, lungs, and bones, and less commonly to the liver, spleen, brain, and adrenal glands. We present a 49-year-old man who received abdominal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging for a health checkup, during which, a necrotic hepatic tumor was found incidentally. Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography was performed to search for the primary site of malignancy, and lobulated FDG hypermetabolic lesions in the anterior mediastinum were found. The diagnosis of thymic carcinoma with liver metastasis was then confirmed after morphological and immunohistochemical studies of hepatic and mediastinal biopsy specimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lien-Yen Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan
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Kobayashi T, Koizumi T, Kitaguchi A, Hatayama O, Tsushima K, Urushihata K, Yamamoto H, Hanaoka M, Kubo K, Honda T, Oguchi K. Cisplatin plus Docetaxel Chemotherapy for Thoracic Lymph Node Metastasis from Cancer of Unknown Primary - Experience of Three Cases. Case Rep Oncol 2009; 2:84-91. [PMID: 20740168 PMCID: PMC2918853 DOI: 10.1159/000217136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The optimal chemotherapeutic regimen for cancer of unknown primary (CUP) remains uncertain. We encountered 3 cases with CUP who presented with thoracic lymph node metastasis. Detailed physical examination and diagnostic tests, including laboratory investigations, bronchoscopy, upper and lower gastrointestinal studies, computed tomography of the head, neck, abdomen and pelvis and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography, failed to identify the primary site in these cases. The patients were treated with the cisplatin plus docetaxel chemotherapy regimen. Concomitant thoracic radiotherapy was conducted in one patient and surgical resection in another. All patients showed good response to the chemotherapy and achieved long-term disease-free survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Kobayashi
- First Department of Internal Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
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Lucić SM, Lucić MA, Peter A, Jovanović D, Vucaj-Cirilović V. [Positron emission tomography/computed tomography in patients with cancer of unknown primary origin]. ACTA CHIRURGICA IUGOSLAVICA 2009; 56:159-164. [PMID: 20420014 DOI: 10.2298/aci0904159l] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Cancer of unknown primary origin is not an uncommon clinical state, usually accounting for 2%-7% of all cancer patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS Positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) was performed in 17 patients with histologically proven metastatic tumors of unknown primary and negative or inconclusive conventional diagnostic procedures. RESULTS The study included 17 patients (8 male and 9 female) age from 42 to 76 years. PET / CT has pointed out the probable localization of primary tumors in 10 patients. According histological diagnosis of carcinoma of unknown origin, most common is adenocarcinoma (64.71%). Origin of the primary cancer was found in 72.73% patients with adenocarcinoma 66.67% of respondents with squamocelular carcinoma and 50% of respondents with low differentiated carcinoma. Location of primary cancer was not found in 41.18% of the respondents, including patients with mucinous adenocarcinoma and patients with melanoma. CONCLUSION FDG PET/CT demonstrates very good whole-body imaging method in evaluation of patients with unknown primary carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- S M Lucić
- Zavod za nuklearnu medicinu, Institut za onkologiju, Vojvodine, Sremska Kamenica
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Kwee TC, Kwee RM. Combined FDG-PET/CT for the detection of unknown primary tumors: systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur Radiol 2008; 19:731-44. [PMID: 18925401 PMCID: PMC2816234 DOI: 10.1007/s00330-008-1194-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 188] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2008] [Revised: 08/11/2008] [Accepted: 09/05/2008] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to systematically review and meta-analyze published data on the diagnostic performance of combined 18F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) in the detection of primary tumors in patients with cancer of unknown primary (CUP). A systematic search for relevant studies was performed of the PubMed/MEDLINE and Embase databases. Methodological quality of the included studies was assessed. Reported detection rates, sensitivities and specificities were meta-analyzed. Subgroup analyses were performed if results of individual studies were heterogeneous. The 11 included studies, comprising a total sample size of 433 patients with CUP, had moderate methodological quality. Overall primary tumor detection rate, pooled sensitivity and specificity of FDG-PET/CT were 37%, 84% (95% CI 78–88%) and 84% (95% CI 78–89%), respectively. Sensitivity was heterogeneous across studies (P = 0.0001), whereas specificity was homogeneous across studies (P = 0.2114). Completeness of diagnostic workup before FDG-PET/CT, location of metastases of unknown primary, administration of CT contrast agents, type of FDG-PET/CT images evaluated and way of FDG-PET/CT review did not significantly influence diagnostic performance. In conclusion, FDG-PET/CT can be a useful method for unknown primary tumor detection. Future studies are required to prove the assumed advantage of FDG-PET/CT over FDG-PET alone and to further explore causes of heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas C Kwee
- Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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Role of fluorodeoxyglucose-PET versus fluorodeoxyglucose-PET/computed tomography in detection of unknown primary tumor: a meta-analysis of the literature. Nucl Med Commun 2008; 29:666-73. [PMID: 18677207 DOI: 10.1097/mnm.0b013e328302cd26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The objectives of this study were to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET and FDG-PET/computed tomography (CT) in the detection of primary tumors in patients presenting with carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) unidentified by conventional workup, and to compare the statistical difference between the FDG-PET and FDG-PET/CT. Twenty-eight studies (involving a total of 910 patients) published between 1990 and 2007 were reviewed. These studies evaluated the role of FDG-PET and FDG-PET/CT in the detection of unknown primary tumors after physical examination and conventional workup failed to detect a primary tumor. Systematic methods were used to identify, select, and evaluate the methodological quality of the studies as well as to summarize the overall findings of sensitivity, specificity, and detection capacity of the primary tumor. The overall sensitivity and specificity of FDG-PET in detecting unknown primary tumors were 0.78 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.72-0.84)] and 0.79 (95% CI: 0.74-0.83), respectively. Furthermore, FDG-PET detected 28.54% of tumors that were not apparent after CUP failed to be detected by conventional workup. Data were collected on the locations of primary tumors detected by FDG-PET in 17 studies and detected by FDG-PET/CT in seven studies. Tumors from the base of the tongue accounted for 20.7% (six of 29) of all false-positive FDG-PET scans, corresponding to a false-positive rate of 28.6% (six of 29), much higher than tumors from the others. FDG-PET exhibited a lower sensitivity with respect to the tumors at the base of the tongue and tonsils, which was 68.2 and 76.7%, respectively. In the eight studies with 430 patients diagnosed with CUP by FDG-PET/CT, 31.4% (n=135) of primary tumors were detected. The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.81 (95% CI: 0.74-0.87) and 0.83 (95% CI: 0.78-0.87), respectively. FDG-PET and FDG-PET/CT can detect primary tumors that went undetected by physical examination and conventional workup. FDG-PET exhibited lower sensitivity with respect to the tumors at the base of the tongue and the tonsils.
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Pepper K, Jaowattana U, Starsiak MD, Halkar R, Hornaman K, Wang W, Dayamani P, Tangpricha V. Renal cell carcinoma presenting with paraneoplastic hypercalcemic coma: a case report and review of the literature. J Gen Intern Med 2007; 22:1042-6. [PMID: 17443359 PMCID: PMC2219737 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-007-0189-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2006] [Revised: 02/02/2007] [Accepted: 03/08/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
We report a case of a 62-year-old woman with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) presenting with a hypercalcemia-induced coma. A laboratory evaluation indicated nonparathyroid-mediated hypercalcemia with an initial serum calcium level of 18.6 mg/dL. Our patient's parathyroid hormone (PTH)-related peptide level was undetectable. Initial imaging was negative, but PET scan identified a mass in the upper pole of the left kidney. Our patient underwent partial nephrectomy, and the mass was identified as RCC on final pathology. After surgery, her hypercalcemia resolved and PTH returned to normal limits. This case report describes a patient with RCC with the unusual presentation of hypercalcemic coma. We review the differential diagnosis of malignant hypercalcemia and the evaluation of hypercalcemia occurring with RCC. This case illustrates the need to carefully review and interpret all available data, especially when conventional testing in the work-up of hypercalcemia is unrevealing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara Pepper
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Uraporn Jaowattana
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Lipids, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, 101 Woodruff Circle NE, WMRB 1301, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Michael D. Starsiak
- Department of Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Raghuueer Halkar
- Department of Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Kelly Hornaman
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Wenli Wang
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Lipids, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, 101 Woodruff Circle NE, WMRB 1301, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Priya Dayamani
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Lipids, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, 101 Woodruff Circle NE, WMRB 1301, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Vin Tangpricha
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Lipids, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, 101 Woodruff Circle NE, WMRB 1301, Atlanta, GA USA
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