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Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Unknown Primary

MedGen UID:
76067
•Concept ID:
C0280097
•
Neoplastic Process
Synonyms: Epidermoid Carcinoma of Unknown Primary Origin; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Occult Primary Site; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Unknown Primary Origin

Definition

A squamous cell carcinoma which has metastasized to another anatomic site and the original site of growth has not been identified. [from NCI]

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Diagnosis and Management of Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Unknown Primary in the Head and Neck: ASCO Guideline.
Maghami E, Ismaila N, Alvarez A, Chernock R, Duvvuri U, Geiger J, Gross N, Haughey B, Paul D, Rodriguez C, Sher D, Stambuk HE, Waldron J, Witek M, Caudell J
J Clin Oncol 2020 Aug 1;38(22):2570-2596. Epub 2020 Apr 23 doi: 10.1200/JCO.20.00275. PMID: 32324430
Evaluation and management of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary.
Martin JM, Galloway TJ
Surg Oncol Clin N Am 2015 Jul;24(3):579-91. Epub 2015 Apr 11 doi: 10.1016/j.soc.2015.03.007. PMID: 25979401
Evaluation and management of the unknown primary carcinoma of the head and neck.
Galer CE, Kies MS
J Natl Compr Canc Netw 2008 Nov;6(10):1068-75. doi: 10.6004/jnccn.2008.0080. PMID: 19176202

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Detection and Oncologic Outcomes of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Unknown Primary Origin.
Lee MY, Fowler N, Adelstein D, Koyfman S, Prendes B, Burkey BB
Anticancer Res 2020 Aug;40(8):4207-4214. doi: 10.21873/anticanres.14421. PMID: 32727746
Comprehensive management of HPV-related squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck of unknown primary.
Rassy E, Nicolai P, Pavlidis N
Head Neck 2019 Oct;41(10):3700-3711. Epub 2019 Jul 13 doi: 10.1002/hed.25858. PMID: 31301162
FDG PET/CT for metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary of the head and neck.
Liu Y
Oral Oncol 2019 May;92:46-51. Epub 2019 Mar 19 doi: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2019.03.014. PMID: 31010622
Squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary of the head and neck: Favorable prognostic factors comparable to those in oropharyngeal cancer.
Zhou MJ, van Zante A, Lazar AA, Groppo ER, Garsa AA, Ryan WR, El-Sayed IH, Eisele DW, Yom SS
Head Neck 2018 May;40(5):904-916. Epub 2017 Dec 6 doi: 10.1002/hed.25028. PMID: 29210145
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary: neck dissection and radiotherapy or definitive radiotherapy.
Demiroz C, Vainshtein JM, Koukourakis GV, Gutfeld O, Prince ME, Bradford CR, Wolf GT, McLean S, Worden FP, Chepeha DB, Schipper MJ, McHugh JB
Head Neck 2014 Nov;36(11):1589-1595. Epub 2013 Nov 18 doi: 10.1002/hed.23479. PMID: 23996575Free PMC Article

Diagnosis

Human Papillomavirus and Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Unknown Primary in the Head and Neck Region: A Comprehensive Review on Clinical Implications.
Larsen MHH, Channir HI, von Buchwald C
Viruses 2021 Jul 2;13(7) doi: 10.3390/v13071297. PMID: 34372502Free PMC Article
Diagnosis and Management of Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Unknown Primary in the Head and Neck: ASCO Guideline.
Maghami E, Ismaila N, Alvarez A, Chernock R, Duvvuri U, Geiger J, Gross N, Haughey B, Paul D, Rodriguez C, Sher D, Stambuk HE, Waldron J, Witek M, Caudell J
J Clin Oncol 2020 Aug 1;38(22):2570-2596. Epub 2020 Apr 23 doi: 10.1200/JCO.20.00275. PMID: 32324430
Comprehensive management of HPV-related squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck of unknown primary.
Rassy E, Nicolai P, Pavlidis N
Head Neck 2019 Oct;41(10):3700-3711. Epub 2019 Jul 13 doi: 10.1002/hed.25858. PMID: 31301162
Evaluation and management of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary.
Martin JM, Galloway TJ
Surg Oncol Clin N Am 2015 Jul;24(3):579-91. Epub 2015 Apr 11 doi: 10.1016/j.soc.2015.03.007. PMID: 25979401
Diagnosis and management of squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary tumor site of the neck.
de Braud F, al-Sarraf M
Semin Oncol 1993 Jun;20(3):273-8. PMID: 8503023

Therapy

Clinical practice guidelines for management of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary: an AGREE II appraisal.
Fritz C, Ng JJ, Harris J, Romeo DJ, Prasad A, Moreira A, Rajasekaran K
Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2023 Sep;280(9):4195-4204. Epub 2023 Apr 27 doi: 10.1007/s00405-023-07997-9. PMID: 37103581
Diagnosis and Management of Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Unknown Primary in the Head and Neck: ASCO Guideline.
Maghami E, Ismaila N, Alvarez A, Chernock R, Duvvuri U, Geiger J, Gross N, Haughey B, Paul D, Rodriguez C, Sher D, Stambuk HE, Waldron J, Witek M, Caudell J
J Clin Oncol 2020 Aug 1;38(22):2570-2596. Epub 2020 Apr 23 doi: 10.1200/JCO.20.00275. PMID: 32324430
Transoral robotic surgery base of tongue mucosectomy for head and neck cancer of unknown primary.
Krishnan S, Connell J, Ofo E
ANZ J Surg 2017 Dec;87(12):E281-E284. Epub 2016 Nov 17 doi: 10.1111/ans.13741. PMID: 27860242
Initial experience with oropharynx-targeted radiation therapy for metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary of the head and neck.
Mourad WF, Hu KS, Shasha D, Concert C, Ishihara D, Lin W, Shourbaji RA, Ryniak M, Gamez ME, Lukens JN, Li Z, Culliney BE, Khorsandi AS, Tran T, Jacobson A, Manolidis S, Schantz S, Urken M, Persky MS, Harrison LB
Anticancer Res 2014 Jan;34(1):243-8. PMID: 24403470
Evaluation and management of the unknown primary carcinoma of the head and neck.
Galer CE, Kies MS
J Natl Compr Canc Netw 2008 Nov;6(10):1068-75. doi: 10.6004/jnccn.2008.0080. PMID: 19176202

Prognosis

Diagnosis and Management of Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Unknown Primary in the Head and Neck: ASCO Guideline.
Maghami E, Ismaila N, Alvarez A, Chernock R, Duvvuri U, Geiger J, Gross N, Haughey B, Paul D, Rodriguez C, Sher D, Stambuk HE, Waldron J, Witek M, Caudell J
J Clin Oncol 2020 Aug 1;38(22):2570-2596. Epub 2020 Apr 23 doi: 10.1200/JCO.20.00275. PMID: 32324430
Comprehensive management of HPV-related squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck of unknown primary.
Rassy E, Nicolai P, Pavlidis N
Head Neck 2019 Oct;41(10):3700-3711. Epub 2019 Jul 13 doi: 10.1002/hed.25858. PMID: 31301162
Squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary of the head and neck: Favorable prognostic factors comparable to those in oropharyngeal cancer.
Zhou MJ, van Zante A, Lazar AA, Groppo ER, Garsa AA, Ryan WR, El-Sayed IH, Eisele DW, Yom SS
Head Neck 2018 May;40(5):904-916. Epub 2017 Dec 6 doi: 10.1002/hed.25028. PMID: 29210145
Evaluation and management of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary.
Martin JM, Galloway TJ
Surg Oncol Clin N Am 2015 Jul;24(3):579-91. Epub 2015 Apr 11 doi: 10.1016/j.soc.2015.03.007. PMID: 25979401
Diagnosis and management of squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary tumor site of the neck.
de Braud F, al-Sarraf M
Semin Oncol 1993 Jun;20(3):273-8. PMID: 8503023

Clinical prediction guides

Clinical practice guidelines for management of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary: an AGREE II appraisal.
Fritz C, Ng JJ, Harris J, Romeo DJ, Prasad A, Moreira A, Rajasekaran K
Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2023 Sep;280(9):4195-4204. Epub 2023 Apr 27 doi: 10.1007/s00405-023-07997-9. PMID: 37103581
Detection and Oncologic Outcomes of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Unknown Primary Origin.
Lee MY, Fowler N, Adelstein D, Koyfman S, Prendes B, Burkey BB
Anticancer Res 2020 Aug;40(8):4207-4214. doi: 10.21873/anticanres.14421. PMID: 32727746
Diagnosis and Management of Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Unknown Primary in the Head and Neck: ASCO Guideline.
Maghami E, Ismaila N, Alvarez A, Chernock R, Duvvuri U, Geiger J, Gross N, Haughey B, Paul D, Rodriguez C, Sher D, Stambuk HE, Waldron J, Witek M, Caudell J
J Clin Oncol 2020 Aug 1;38(22):2570-2596. Epub 2020 Apr 23 doi: 10.1200/JCO.20.00275. PMID: 32324430
Tumour Cell Anaplasia and Multinucleation as Prognosticators in Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
Molony P, Werner R, Martin C, Callanan D, Sheahan P, Heffron C, Feeley L
Head Neck Pathol 2020 Sep;14(3):606-615. Epub 2019 Sep 24 doi: 10.1007/s12105-019-01081-7. PMID: 31552619Free PMC Article
Role of cytology in the diagnosis and management of HPV-associated head and neck carcinoma.
Krane JF
Acta Cytol 2013;57(2):117-26. Epub 2013 Feb 28 doi: 10.1159/000346715. PMID: 23406782

Recent systematic reviews

Narrow band imaging in head and neck unknown primary carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Di Maio P, Iocca O, De Virgilio A, Giudice M, Pellini R, D'Ascanio L, Golusiński P, Ricci G, Spriano G
Laryngoscope 2020 Jul;130(7):1692-1700. Epub 2019 Nov 12 doi: 10.1002/lary.28350. PMID: 31714611
Human papillomavirus and p16 immunostaining, prevalence and prognosis of squamous carcinoma of unknown primary in the head and neck region.
Ren J, Yang W, Su J, Ren X, Fazelzad R, Albert T, Habbous S, Goldstein DP, de Almeida JR, Hansen A, Jang R, Bratman SV, Hope A, Chen R, Wang J, Xu Y, Cheng D, Zhao Y, Xu W, Liu G
Int J Cancer 2019 Sep 15;145(6):1465-1474. Epub 2019 Feb 19 doi: 10.1002/ijc.32164. PMID: 30698281
Role of palatine tonsillectomy in the diagnostic workup of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary origin: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Di Maio P, Iocca O, De Virgilio A, Ferreli F, Cristalli G, Pellini R, Golusinski P, Ricci G, Spriano G
Head Neck 2019 Apr;41(4):1112-1121. Epub 2018 Dec 21 doi: 10.1002/hed.25522. PMID: 30575162
The role of transoral robotic surgery, transoral laser microsurgery, and lingual tonsillectomy in the identification of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary origin: a systematic review.
Fu TS, Foreman A, Goldstein DP, de Almeida JR
J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2016 May 4;45(1):28. doi: 10.1186/s40463-016-0142-6. PMID: 27142355Free PMC Article
The prevalence of human papillomavirus in squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary site metastatic to neck lymph nodes: a systematic review.
Boscolo-Rizzo P, Schroeder L, Romeo S, Pawlita M
Clin Exp Metastasis 2015 Dec;32(8):835-45. Epub 2015 Sep 10 doi: 10.1007/s10585-015-9744-z. PMID: 26358913

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