Carcinoma is a type of cancer that forms in the skin cells as well as the tissues surrounding certain internal organs such as the kidney and liver. It is the leading type of malignancy in the breast, kidney, liver, skin, and intestinal tract.
There are dozens of types of carcinomas, a few of the most commonly known being:
Similar to other types of cancers, carcinoma may be localized (stays in one place), invasive (has spread to surrounding tissue), or metastatic (spreads throughout the body). You may also hear of carcinoma in situ (CIS), which is a pre-cancerous carcinoma that has not gone beyond the layer of skin in which it started.
Readily visible to the eye, skin carcinomas vary in shape and size. Liver and kidney carcinomas, on the other hand, may produce symptoms that mimic other types of health problems.
A basal cell carcinoma may look something like:
A squamous cell carcinoma may appear like:
Liver carcinoma (often referred to as hepatoma) may produce symptoms, such as:
With renal cell carcinoma other types of symptoms may occur, such as:
Not all symptoms indicate carcinoma, but it's important to be vigilant if you notice changes in your skin or experience these kinds of symptoms. Let your doctor know what's concerning you.
Treatment of any kind of cancer always depends on your age, your overall health, the type of cancer, and in what stage it is. Common treatments for carcinoma include surgical removal, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.
If you or a loved one has worrisome signs or symptoms of carcinoma, don't wait until it gets worse. Get it checked out by a doctor. Our Main Line Health oncology team can test for, diagnose, and treat all forms of carcinoma.
Chemotherapy is used to fight almost every type of cancer. Oncologists (cancer doctors) prescribe and give chemotherapy as part of your individual treatment plan.
Radiation treatments may be standalone or in combination with cancer surgery and chemotherapy. It may also be used to relieve symptoms of cancer.
At Main Line Health, our expert radiation oncologists use the latest technology to give you powerful, precise treatment.
With advances in medicine, millions of people are living with cancer than ever before. For that reason, we established The Survivorship Program—a program designed to help patients transition to life following treatment, by alleviating some of their common concerns.
Main Line Health provides dermatology care — including effective treatments, preventative care and cancer screenings — to ages in the Philadelphia area.
From diagnosis and throughout treatment, Main Line Health cancer specialists (oncologists) provide compassionate care for you and your loved ones through all stages of cancer treatment.
