Adenocarcinoma

What is adenocarcinoma?

Adenocarcinoma is a type of cancer made up of gland-producing cells. Adenocarcinoma can start anywhere in the body where gland-producing cells are normally found such as the internal organs.

Is adenocarcinoma malignant or benign?

Adenocarcinoma is a malignant (cancerous) type of tumour.

What are the symptoms of adenocarcinoma?

The symptoms of adenocarcinoma depend on where in the body the tumour is located. For example, shortness of breath and coughing are typically associated with adenocarcinoma of the lung while vomiting, nausea, and early satiety (feeling full earlier than normal) are often associated with adenocarcinoma of the stomach. Unfortunately, some people with adenocarcinoma do not experience any symptoms until the tumour has become very large or cancer cells have metastasized (spread) to other parts of the body.

What causes adenocarcinoma?

The cause of adenocarcinoma depends on the location of the tumour and the tumour subtype. For example, adenocarcinoma in the lung is typically caused by long-term tobacco exposure while adenocarcinoma in the prostate gland is caused by a variety of genetic and hormonal factors.

Where in the body is adenocarcinoma found?

Adenocarcinoma can be found almost anywhere in the body; however, the most common locations are the breast, lung, stomach, colon, and prostate.

Can adenocarcinoma spread to other parts of the body?

Yes, adenocarcinoma is an invasive type of cancer that can spread to other parts of the body. However, the risk of spread depends on many factors including the location of the tumour, the tumour subtype, the size of the tumour, and the tumour grade.

What does metastatic adenocarcinoma mean?

The term metastatic adenocarcinoma is used to describe cancer cells that have travelled from the place where the tumour started (the primary tumour) to another part of the body such as a lymph node, the lungs, the liver, or a bone.

Types of adenocarcinomas

Adenocarcinoma of the lung

Invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast

Invasive mucinous carcinoma of the breast

Invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast

Invasive ductal carcinoma with apocrine features of the breast

Adenocarcinoma of the stomach

Adenocarcinoma of the esophagus

Ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas

Adenocarcinoma of the colon

Mucinous adenocarcinoma of the colon

Endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinoma

Endometrial clear cell carcinoma

Endometrial serous carcinoma

Mucinous carcinoma of the ovary

Endometrioid carcinoma of the ovary

Clear cell carcinoma of the ovary

Intestinal-type sinonasal adenocarcinoma

Non-intestinal-type sinonasal adenocarcinoma

Endocervical adenocarcinoma