Dictionary of Cancer Terms
View in Spanish: Carcinoma de tumor primario desconocido
Carcinoma of unknown primary (KAR-sih-NOH-muh UN-none PRY-mayr-ee)
A case in which cancer cells are found in the body, but the place where the cells first started growing (the origin or primary site) cannot be determined. Also called cancer of unknown primary origin and CUP.
Source: National Cancer Institute Dictionary of Cancer Terms, available at www.cancer.gov/dictionary.