What Are Carcinomas?
Carcinoma is a type of malignancy that begins in specific cells that form the tissue lining certain organs in the body, like the kidneys, liver, and on the skin. Cancerous cells are classified according to the kind of cell they form in because different cells throughout the body perform different functions. Five primary types of cancers can occur in an individual's body, including carcinoma, lymphoma and myeloma, spinal cord and brain cancers, leukemia, and sarcoma. Carcinoma only originates in the epithelial tissues of the body. The most prevalent type of cancer in the population is carcinoma. Different types of carcinoma are grouped by the types of epithelial cells in which they originate. Carcinomas may be diagnosed using a fine-needle aspiration biopsy, subtotal removal of a single node, or a core biopsy. Treatment methods for carcinoma vary and depend on the site of the tumor.
Where Carcinomas Develop
There are numerous locations around an individual's body where this type of cancer can develop. Carcinomas only develop in tissues made up of specific cells referred to as epithelial cells. Epithelial cells are the cells that form an individual's skin tissues on the outside of the body. Epithelial cells also form the lining and inside of all body organs, and these cells also line all of the cavities in the body. Carcinomas often develop in the tissues that line the abdominal cavity. Carcinomas are also commonly known to develop in an individual's sun-exposed skin tissues. The kidneys are organs often implicated when it comes to the development of carcinoma, as it is the most common form of kidney cancer. Carcinomas tend to develop frequently in the tissues of an individual's breast or cervix. Heavy smokers have a prevalence of carcinoma development in the tissues lining their bladder or the delicate tissues that form the inside of their lungs. Carcinomas are a common occurrence in males, particularly in the tissues lining the colon or the tissues that make up the prostate.
Types Of Carcinomas
Carcinomas can be further subcategorized into groups based on the location where they originate since epithelial cells are not specific to any one part of the body. Two types of carcinoma can develop in an individual's skin. Squamous cell carcinoma begins in the flat, thin cells referred to as squamous cells and can occur in the skin, respiratory tract, and digestive tract. Basal cell carcinoma is a type of carcinoma that affects the deepest layer of skin, which is made up of basal cells. Renal cell carcinoma is a carcinoma that affects an individual's kidney tissues and originates in the kidney tubules. Invasive ductal carcinoma is a type of carcinoma that develops and grows in the cells that line an individual's milk duct in the breast. An adrenocortical carcinoma affects an individual's adrenal glands, and a thyroid carcinoma affects their thyroid tissues. An adenocarcinoma is a carcinoma that forms in the adenomatous cells or the glandular cells that produce fluids. Transitional cell carcinomas form in tissues that can stretch, such as those that make up the bladder.
