Adenocarcinomas - Adenocarcinoma

Generality

An adenocarcinoma is a carcinoma - therefore a malignant tumor - that originates specifically from the cells of the glandular epithelium, present in the exocrine glandular organs (for example pancreas, breasts or prostate) and in general in tissues with secretory properties (for example mucosa lining the "esophagus, stomach or colon).

Like any malignant tumor, adenocarcinomas arise as a result of a series of mutations affecting cellular DNA (in this specific case the DNA of the aforementioned epithelial cells).
To diagnose adenocarcinoma, a biopsy examination (or biopsy) is essential. From the biopsy, doctors are able to obtain information on the stage and grade of the malignant tumor in progress.