Surgery for cancer of unknown primary

Surgery is a common treatment for many types of cancer if they are found at an early stage. But because cancer of unknown primary (CUP) has already spread beyond the place where it started, surgery is less likely to be helpful.

Surgery may be an option if the cancer is found only in the lymph nodes or in one organ. But there is still a chance that the cancer may be somewhere else in the body. If surgery is used, it may be followed by radiation treatment and chemotherapy (chemo) to try to kill any cancer cells still in the body.

To learn more about surgery, see our document, Understanding Cancer Surgery: A Guide for Patients and Families.