Cups

markmac said:

Can someone explain to me why an unknown primary in the oropharynx (hpv) does not relate to an unknown primary cancer anywhere else in the body?

Do you mean two separate unknown primary cancers? 

No.  His dx is hpv oropharynx of unknown primary.  He has no spread.  Was diagnosed as a stage 1

Sorry I still don’t understand what you mean. 

The biopsy of the lymph node would show squamous cell carcinoma. SCC is a cancer of epithelial cells so it can arise only in those cells. So that’s the cells lining the mouth and throat, larynx, the tubes in the lungs, the oesophsgus,  the cervix and the skin.  

I was worried about my husbands unknown primary but someone had said unknown primary of head and neck hpv is not treated in the same way as a different unknown primary ex:  lungs, colon. 
in other words it’s not as serious possibly. Drs aren’t that concerned because the primary wd most likely be in the area of the oropharynx. I’m sorry I cannot explain this any better. Maybe someone will know what I mean. 

Or do you mean could the cancer found in the lymph node have come from anywhere else apart from the oropharynx? 

I guess I’m wondering that yes

All lymph nodes drain particular areas of the body. The neck nodes drain parts of the head and those areas are largely specific. A lymph node under your ear won’t drain your eye for example. So the likelihood that this cancer has arisen in the oropharynx is high, very high. Why would an SCC arising in the oesophagus, say, manifest in a neck node unless there was evidence of cancer elsewhere? 

Sorry I don’t know what you mean. Are you saying the likelihood that it spread to a diff area is very hogh?  He has scc hpv oropharynx hpv 16 pos stage 1 of unknown primary.  

markmac said:

. Are you saying the likelihood that it spread to a diff area is very hogh

No. Exactly the opposite 

I’m saying that the chances the primary is in the oropharynx is high. Isn’t that what you’ve been told already by the doctors? 
Perhaps you should tackle your husbands oncologist and voice your worries.