2007-08-06 09:38:47 · 7 answers · asked by sweet girl 1 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Cancer
There is a major difference . . not all cancers are classified as a carcinoma.
Cancer is an umbrella term to describe over 200 different types of disease including carcinoma, leukemia, lymphoma, and sarcoma.
Carcinoma is one of the four major classifications of cancer. Carcinoma's are usually described by their location in the body . . liver carcinoma, colon carcinoma, breast carcinoma
There are four major GROUPS of cancer in which all other types fall under (there are actually more than four but they are difficult to describe).
The four major cancer classifications include:
1. Leukemia - cancer of the blood (acute myelogenous leukemia, acute lymphocytic leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, hairy cell leukemia)
2. Lymphoma - cancer of the lymphatic system (hodgkins disease, non-hodgkins disease)
3. Carcinoma - cancer of epithelial origin that arises in tissues that cover or line the body surface and internal organs. (liver, colon, breast, skin, stomach, kidney, pancreas, etc.)
4. Sarcoma - cancer of the connective tissues including bones, cartilage, fat, blood vessels, joints, and soft tissues. (osteosarcoma, ewings sarcoma, liposarcoma, angiosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, etc)
Leukemia, Lymphoma, and Sarcoma are NOT carcinomas.
Cancer and carcinoma are NOT interchangable terms. People are often mistaken about this because carcinoma's are the most common types of cancer. But there are others . . methoselioma, carcinoid tumors . . and tumors that are both malignant and benign at the same time.
Cancer Classification
http://training.seer.cancer.gov/module_cancer_disease/unit3_categories2_by_histology.html
2007-08-06 10:54:48 · answer #1 · answered by Panda 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
It is a bit like the difference between apple and fruit!
Not all cancers are carcinomas.
All carcinomas are cancer.
2007-08-06 15:32:58 · answer #2 · answered by Tarkarri 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Carcinoma is a form of cancer. All carcinomas are cancer. Not all cancers are carcinoma.
2016-05-19 23:42:44 · answer #3 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
According to the National Cancer Institute web site,Carcinoma is cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover an organ.Cancer is a term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control.You will notice they use cancer in the definition of carcinoma.If they do not know,nobody does.
2007-08-06 15:17:08 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Carcinoma is the correct name for cancer.
2007-08-06 11:27:42 · answer #5 · answered by ? 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Carcinoma and cancer are one and the same.
2007-08-06 12:25:17 · answer #6 · answered by Pearl N 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
There really is no difference. The words may be used interchangeably. Cancer of the liver and carcinoma of the liver mean exactly the same thing.
2007-08-06 10:31:30 · answer #7 · answered by john e russo md facm faafp 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋