carcinoma
(kar‵sĭn-ō'mă 
)
[ carcin- + -oma ]
A malignant tumor that occurs in epithelial tissue and may infiltrate local tissues or produce metastases. It may affect almost any organ or part of the body and spread by direct extension, through the lymphatics, or through the bloodstream. The causes vary with tumor type.
Patient Care: Optimal patient care includes identifying and explaining to the patient and his or her family the type of cancer and its typical natural history; options for treatment; side effects of treatments; expected response of the cancer to the treatment; best predictions for recovery and life expectancy; availability of clinical trials; alternative and complementary therapies; and the potential benefit of referral to specialty cancer centers.
acinar cell c. of the pancreas A rare carcinoma that arises from pancreatic cells that manufacture digestive proteins, such as lipase, chymotrypsin, or alpha-1-antitrypsin.
alveolar cell c.A type of non-small cell cancer that arises in the alveolar cells of the lungs.
ampullary c.Any neoplasm that appears near the Ampulla of Vater. Most are cancers of the duodenum, gallbladder or bile ducts, or pancreas.
anaplastic thyroid c.A rare, rapidly metastasizing form of cancer of the thyroid gland . People with ATC have a median survival of approx. 5 months.
ABBR: BCC
The most common human cancer, typically found on skin exposed to sun or other sources of ultraviolet light. Approximately 2,000,000 cases are diagnosed each year. Although it is sometimes locally invasive, it rarely metastasizes to other organs. Typically it begins as a small, shiny papule. The lesion enlarges to form a whitish border around a central depression or ulcer that may bleed. When the lesion reaches this stage, it is often called a rodent ulcer. After biopsy, the method of removal is determined by the size, location, and appearance of the lesion.SYN: basal cell epithelioma; epithelial cancer.SEE: illus..
bronchioloalveolar c.A relatively rare form of non-small cell lung cancer consisting of columnar cells. The tumor arises in the periphery of the lung within the septal borders of the alveoli, which the tumor tends to preserve. The tumor cells frequently produce mucin.
choroid plexus c.A cancer that arises from the cells that line the fluid-filled cavities (ventricles) of the brain.
SEE: Colorectal cancer .
SEE: mucinous carcinoma .
colorectal c.Colorectal cancer.
c. cuniculatum Any slowly growing squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, typically presenting as a gradually enlarging warty tumor.
SEE: ductal carcinoma in situ of breast.
embryonal c.An aggressive germ cell tumor that may metastasize widely. It can occur in young adults of either sex.
epidermoid c.Squamous cell carcinoma.
c. erysipelatoides A metastasis of cancer, usually from an internal organ to the skin, to which the spreading tumor gives a red, inflammatory appearance.
giant cell c.Carcinoma marked by the presence of unusually large cells.
ABBR: HCC
Carcinoma of the liver.In 2023, the American Cancer Society estimated that 41,000 Americans would be diagnosed with liver cancer and about 29,000 would die of the disease. Although HCC is relatively uncommon in the U.S., it is one of the most common causes of death by cancer worldwide.
Common causes of HCC include alcoholism, chronic hepatitis B or C infection, and fatty liver disease.
keratinocyte c.A cancer arising from cells in the epidermis. It includes basal cell carcinomas, keratoacanthomas, and squamous cell carcinomas of the skin. Most keratinocyte carcinomas arise in sun-exposed areas of the body, such as the ears, the temples, the forehead or the nose.
keratocyte c.A carcinoma arising from either basal or squamous cells (of the skin). Also known as a non-melanoma skin cancer.
medullary c.Carcinoma in which there is a predominance of cells and little fibrous tissue.
melanotic c.Carcinoma containing melanin.
Merkel cell c.A neuroendocrine tumor that presents as a mass on the skin. It aggressively metastasizes and is often deadly. It may be purple, red, or skin-colored and usually presents in senior citizens as a skin lesion, typically on sun-exposed areas of the body. It is associated with Merkel cell polyomavirus. The mnemonic acronym, AEIOU, is used clinically to help identify the tumor. It is usually Asymptomatic, rapidly Expand ing, identified in Immune suppressed persons, esp. those Over the age of 50, on Ultraviolet-exposed skin.
mucinous c.A rare malignant tumor in which cancer cells secrete and are found on pathological examination of surgically removed specimens in pools of mucin. The tumors can be primary, e.g., on the skin of the face or eyelid, or may metastasize from other organs, such as the breast or the colon.
neuroendocrine c.Any of a diverse group of malignancies, such as carcinoid, islet cell tumors, neuroblastoma, and small-cell carcinomas of the lung. All have dense core granules and produce polypeptides that can be identified by immunochemical methods.
oat cell c.A poorly differentiated carcinoma of the bronchus that contains small oat-shaped cells. SYN: small cell carcinoma.
c. of pancreas Pancreatic cancer.
pancreatic c.Pancreatic cancer.
SEE: papillary carcinoma of the thyroid.
renal cell c.A carcinoma that arises from the proximal tubular cells of the kidney. SYN: hypernephroma; kidney cancer.
In 2024 the American Cancer Society estimated that about 82,000 Americans would be diagnosed with renal cancers, and that about 14,400 would die of the disease.
Because of its location in the retroperitoneum, renal cell carcinoma may grow to a relatively large size before it manifests obvious symptoms. The most common findings are blood in the urine (hematuria), flank pain, or a flank mass. Some patients develop fevers, weight loss, or symptoms caused by hormones excreted by the tumor. These hormones (parathyroid-like hormone or erythropoietin) occasionally cause an elevated serum calcium level or abnormal increases in the red blood cell count (erythrocytosis).
Surgical removal of the affected kidney may be curative for those patients whose tumor has not spread outside the perirenal fascia. Medical treatment options for patients with metastatic disease include chemotherapy, interferons, monoclonal antibodies, and drugs that block the development of blood flow to tumors. Radiation therapy includes treatments inserted directly into tumors or external beam radiation.
sarcomatoid c.A carcinoma that contains both epithelial and mesenchymal components. It may arise from cells in the kidney, urinary bladder, or lung.
ABBR: CIS
Malignant cell changes in the epithelial tissue that do not extend beyond the basement membrane. CIS may eventually evolve into invasive cancer.small cell c.Oat cell carcinoma.
squamous cell c.Carcinoma that develops primarily from squamous cells, e.g., of the skin or in the mouth, lungs, bronchi, esophagus, or cervix. SYN: epidermoid carcinoma.
SEE: illus.
SEE: illus..
thymic c.A carcinoma found in the anterior mediastinum, usually a squamous cell carcinoma, spindle cell carcinoma, or lymphoepithelioma. Many of these tumors release chemically active substances that cause paraneoplastic syndromes.
transitional cell c.A carcinoma that originates in cells that line the urinary tract, e.g., in cells that line the inner kidney, the ureters, or the urinary bladder. SYN: urothelial carcinoma.