UK cancer of unknown primary cases ‘being diagnosed too late’

Public Health England has underlined the importance of ensuring that rare cancers with unknown primary tumours are diagnosed more rapidly.

New data from the organisation's National Cancer Intelligence Network has revealed that 57 percent of newly diagnosed cancers of unknown primary (CUP) cases were identified in emergency scenarios, compared to 23 percent for all cancers.

This is equivalent to around 25,000 cases in England between 2006 and 2010, while one-year survival rates for all CUP patients is 16 percent – low compared to most other cancer types. CUP tumours presenting as an emergency have the lowest survival of all routes to diagnosis.

By analysing these trends, it is hoped that new ways of improving diagnosis, earlier treatment and survival rates can be found.

Dr Mick Peake, clinical lead at National Cancer Intelligence Network , said: "This information gives us a first look at the routes to diagnosis for CUP patients and enables us to understand more about this rarer type of cancer."

People are recorded as CUP cases if the primary site of the cancer growth cannot be established, or if the tumour has been registered without specification of site. This description covers around three percent of all cancer cases.