Carcinoma

Also known as: carcinoma in situ, metastatic carcinoma, invasive carcinoma

What is a carcinoma?

Cancers can be classified based on the type of tissue in which they start growing. In the case of carcinomas, they develop in epithelial tissue, which makes up the inner lining of most organs in the body, as well as the skin. Carcinomas include many common cancers, including breast, skin, lung, kidney, prostate, liver cancers and many more.

What causes carcinoma?

Carcinomas occur when a genetic mutation make a healthy cell turn cancerous and begin to spread. Factors such as smoking, exposure to UV rays, exposure to toxins, drinking, previous radiation therapy and others can increase your risk of developing carcinomas.

What are the symptoms of carcinoma?

Carcinomas typically do not cause any symptoms in their early stages. As they grow and spread, the symptoms can vary widely based on the specific type of carcinoma that is present. Some common symptoms among carcinomas include a noticeable lump, weight changes, fatigue, skin changes, fevers or night sweats, muscle or joint pain, bleeding or bruising and more.

How can carcinoma affect children?

Carcinomas are less common in children than in adults. When they do occur, they tend to be fairly serious.

What are carcinoma treatments?

A variety of different treatments can be used for carcinoma depending on its location, severity and how far it has spread in the body. Often multiple treatments are used in conjunction. Options include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy and hormone therapy.

Reviewed by: Maggie Fader, MD

This page was last updated on: June 05, 2025 11:56 AM

The History of Clinical Trials

May 18, 2025 – Researchers around the world celebrate Clinical Trials Day on May 20 in recognition of the incredible advances in medicine made possible by clinical trials. This observance is timed to reflect the launch of the earliest recognized clinical trial by researcher, James Lind. Published in 1753, Lind's work compared several test groups to a control group, to demonstrate the effectiveness of citrus fruit as a treatment for scurvy.