Survival Rates for Cancer of Unknown Primary

Usually, survival rates can give you an idea of what percentage of people with the same type and stage of cancer are still alive a certain amount of time (usually 5 years) after they were diagnosed . But it's hard to provide survival rates for cancers of unknown primary because they are many different cancer types.

Why survival statistics are hard to provide for cancers of unknown primary (CUP)

Cancers of unknown primary (CUP) include many different cancer types, so it’s hard to provide meaningful survival statistics for these cancers as a group. In general, these are difficult cancers for several reasons:

• When they are first diagnosed, these cancers have already spread beyond the site where they started. This means that the types of treatments that are most likely to be successful, such as surgery or radiation therapy, are not likely to result in a cure in most cases.
• Because the exact type of cancer is not known, it’s harder for doctors to know what treatment is most likely to help the patient.
• Many CUPs are fast-growing and/or fast-spreading cancers.

Average survival time for people with cancers of unknown primary (CUP)

When all types of CUP are included, the average survival time is about 9 to 12 months after diagnosis. But this can vary depending on many factors, including the cancer cell type, where the cancer is found, how far the cancer has spread, a person’s general health, the treatments received, and how well the cancer responds to treatment.

Survival statistics can sometimes be useful as a general guide, but they may not accurately represent any one person’s prognosis (outlook). This is because survival rates are based on previous outcomes of large numbers of people who had the disease, but they cannot predict what will happen in any particular person’s case. Talk to your doctor about how these numbers may apply to you.