Carcinoma
Cancer that begins in the surface (epithelial) cells lining the skin and internal organs.
Definition
Carcinoma is the most common category of cancer. It begins in epithelial cells — the cells that form the skin and line the inside of organs and ducts. The two largest sub-types are adenocarcinoma (from gland-forming cells) and squamous cell carcinoma (from flat surface cells).
Most cancers of the breast, lung, colon, prostate, skin, head & neck and cervix are carcinomas. By contrast, sarcomas arise from connective tissues and leukemias from blood-forming cells.
See also
- Adenocarcinoma — A cancer that begins in the gland-forming cells lining many internal organs.
- Sarcoma — A relatively rare cancer that arises from connective tissues such as bone, muscle, fat or cartilage.
- In Situ — Early-stage cancer that has not yet broken through into surrounding tissue.
- Invasive — Cancer that has grown beyond its starting layer into surrounding tissue.
- Histology — The microscopic study of tissue to identify cancer type and features.
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Medically reviewed by
Dr. Rehan Abdullah
Dr. Rehan Abdullah is a dual-trained clinical and radiation oncologist with over a decade of experience treating both solid tumours and hematologic malignancies. He serves as Consultant Oncologist at INMOL Hospital and sees patients at Farooq Hospital and Healthnox Medical Center, Lahore. Read full profile →
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