carcinoma
Americannoun
-
carcinomas,
plural
-
carcinomata
plural
noun
-
any malignant tumour derived from epithelial tissue
-
another name for cancer
-
carcinomas
plural
-
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.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of carcinoma
1715–25; < Latin: ulcer, tumor < Greek karkínōma; see carcino-, -oma
Compare meaning
How does carcinoma compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
See Examples For:
Risk/reward looks more constructive to Stanton, who now includes Immutep’s phase IIhead and neck squamous cell carcinoma opportunity in his valuation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
Analysts are waiting for a Phase 2 readout in renal cell carcinoma that’s expected later this year to see if the cancer vaccine works in other types of cancer.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026
Simon revealed that in the same period, she underwent surgery to treat skin cancer, specifically basal cell carcinoma on her face.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
The findings suggest a possible new treatment strategy for fibrolamellar carcinoma, a rare liver cancer that primarily affects children and young adults.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 25, 2026
In 1951, most doctors in the field believed that invasive carcinoma was deadly, and carcinoma in situ wasn’t.
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
While they have an unpleasant appearance, and need to be removed, these carcinomas seldom spread beyond the skin and rarely have serious health consequences.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026
Melanomas typically look darker or browner than basal cell carcinomas, Connolly said, but patients should bring any lesion they’re worried about to a dermatologist’s attention.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 24, 2024
Basal cell carcinomas have relatively little lineage plasticity and are far less aggressive than squamous cell carcinomas.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 7, 2024
Jackman reassured fans that basal cell carcinomas are the "least dangerous" in the world of skin cancer, but said he hoped his scare reminds people to be sun-safe.
From BBC ● Apr. 4, 2023
By 1951, at least twelve studies had found that cervical adenocarcinomas and epidermoid carcinomas responded the same to radiation, which was the treatment of choice for both types.
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
They occur at an earlier age than carcinomata.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 7 "Gyantse" to "Hallel" by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
