Info
Adenocarcinoma
A subtype of carcinoma that starts in glandular cells - cells that produce secreted substances. It can appear in the lung, colon, breast, pancreas or prostate.
What it means
A subtype of carcinoma that arises in glandular cells, that is, cells that produce or secrete certain substances. It can appear in organs such as the lung, colon, pancreas or prostate.
In short
A subtype of carcinoma that starts in glandular cells - cells that produce secreted substances. It can appear in the lung, colon, breast, pancreas or prostate.
Where you will see it
Mentioned in the histopathology report. Specified as adenocarcinoma followed by the organ: lung adenocarcinoma, colorectal adenocarcinoma.
What it does not tell you on its own
It does not tell you the stage of the disease and does not determine the treatment. The molecular subtype (e.g. EGFR, ALK for the lung) can be important for targeted treatment.
Questions for your doctor
- Which organ is affected?
- Are any molecular tests recommended?
- What treatment is indicated?
- Are the lymph nodes or other organs involved?
Related terms
The terms below often appear alongside this one. Each definition is right here, so you do not have to look elsewhere.
- Carcinoma
- A type of cancer that starts in the epithelial cells, that is, the cells that line the skin or the surface of certain organs. It is one of the most common classes of cancer and includes several subtypes, depending on the organ of origin.
- Histopathology
- The examination under the microscope of tissue taken by biopsy or surgery. The histopathology report describes the type of cells, the tumor grade and other details that help establish the diagnosis and treatment.
- Targeted therapy
- A drug treatment that selectively blocks specific molecules involved in the growth of cancer cells. Unlike chemotherapy, it affects healthy cells less. Examples: tyrosine kinase inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies.
Other terms in “Basics”
Glossary definitions are written for patients by the OncoDots team and go through internal medical review. They explain terms; they do not establish a diagnosis and do not recommend a treatment.