Halskliermetastase van een onbekende primaire tumor

A group of 29 patients with neck metastases of an unknown primary tumour was studied retrospectively. All patients had received radiotherapy. A distinction was made between palliative or curative radiotherapy. The 5-year actuarial survival with no evidence of disease was 38. Patients with a N₁ node status (UICC) had a significantly better survival than patients with a N₃ node status (p < 0.05). In both the curative and the palliative radiotherapy group the survival rate was significantly higher after a complete response than after a partial response. Patients with a N₁ node status and with a complete response to radiotherapy had a particularly favourable prognosis (100 5-year survival, n = 7). In two patients the occult primary tumours manifested themselves within one year. The diagnostic approach and therapeutic guidelines are discussed.