Unknown primary tumors in the population based on Cancer Registry from Bucaramanga metropolitan area

The unknown primary tumors represent a group of spread neoplasms with difficult diagnosis and treatment, manifested by the anatomo-pathological study of metastases. The diagnosed are after performing and adequate approach with physical examination and laboratory without found primary site of origin. Is one of the neoplasms with a high incidence in the world population and has a low survival rate. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinic-pathological features and outcome of patients in the population based cancer in registry from Bucaramanga metropolitan area in the period from January 2000 to February 2007. METHOD: We conducted a cross sectional study with a population of patients diagnosed with unknown primary tumors of the population based Cancer Registry from Bucaramanga metropolitan area in a period of eight years (January 2000 to December 2007). The information was obtained from the population based cancer registry from Bucaramanga metropolitan area, medical records and database of the National Registraduria. RESULTS: The average age of diagnostic was 62.12 years, the most frequent histological subtype was adenocarcinoma in 206 cases (37.41[%]), the site of origin of this tumors that prevailed was lung with 31 cases (5.54[%]), no primary site was found by a lack of information in the medical record in 328 cases (58.71[%]). CONCLUSIONS: Find the place of origin of the unknown primary tumors remains a problem due to the advanced stage of the disease at diagnosis and the lack of information in the clinical records.