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carcinoma

American  
[kahr-suh-noh-muh] / ˌkɑr səˈnoʊ mə /

noun

Pathology.
carcinomas, plural carcinomata plural
  1. a malignant and invasive epithelial tumor that spreads by metastasis and often recurs after excision; cancer.


carcinoma British  
/ ˌkɑːsɪˈnəʊmə /

noun

  1. any malignant tumour derived from epithelial tissue

  2. another name for cancer

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

carcinoma Scientific  
/ kär′sə-nōmə /
carcinomas plural
  1. Any of various cancerous tumors that are derived from epithelial tissue of the skin, blood vessels, or other organs and that tend to metastasize to other parts of the body.

  2. See also basal cell carcinoma squamous cell carcinoma


carcinoma Cultural  
  1. A malignant tumor in the tissues that make up the skin, glands, mucous membranes, and lining of organs.


Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

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Nouns

Etymology

Origin of carcinoma

1715–25; < Latin: ulcer, tumor < Greek karkínōma; see carcino-, -oma

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Fibrolamellar carcinoma makes up about 2% of all liver cancer cases.

From Science Daily • Jun. 25, 2026

Moving forward, the analyst plans to monitor other data readouts, including the results of two trials evaluating the efficacy of intismeran alone in patients with renal cell carcinoma and as an adjuvant therapy for melanoma.

From Barron's • May 8, 2026

One sub-type, ovarian clear cell carcinoma, has a particularly strong connection to the condition.

From BBC • May 8, 2026

Mammary carcinoma, an aggressive and common cancer in cats, provided some of the clearest insights.

From Science Daily • Mar. 18, 2026

John had nasopharyngeal carcinoma, an extremely rare cancer that attacks the throat and nasal passages, but if the disease is caught early, 60 to 70 percent of patients can be cured.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

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