[kahr-suh-noh-muh] 
[-muh-tuh] . Pathology. | a malignant and invasive epithelial tumor that spreads by metastasis and often recurs after excision; cancer. |
| car·ci·no·ma (kär'sə-nō'mə) n. pl. car·ci·no·mas or car·ci·no·ma·ta (-mə-tə) An invasive malignant tumor derived from epithelial tissue that tends to metastasize to other areas of the body. [Latin, cancerous ulcer, from Greek karkinōma, from karkinos, cancer; see kar- in Indo-European roots.] car'ci·no'ma·toid (-nō'mə-toid') adj., car'ci·nom'a·tous (-nŏm'ə-təs, -nō'mə-) adj. |
carcinoma car·ci·no·ma (kär'sə-nō'mə)
n. pl. car·ci·no·mas or car·ci·no·ma·ta (-mə-tə)
Abbr. CA An invasive malignant tumor derived from epithelial tissue that tends to metastasize to other areas of the body.
carcinoma
a cancerous growth of surface (epithelial) tissues of the skin, digestive tract, blood vessels, and various organs. Carcinoma cells tend to invade surrounding healthy tissues and give rise to secondary growths (metastases) distant from the original tumour. In addition to the skin and digestive tract, carcinomas may develop in the reproductive tract, mucous membranes, lungs, and other internal organs and glands, including the liver, pancreas, thyroid, ovaries, and prostate. Cancers of the nervous system, blood, bone, and muscle are not carcinomas.
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