Carcinoma

What is carcinoma?

Carcinoma is the most common type of cancer. It begins in the epithelial tissue of the skin. Carcinoma can also start in the tissue of other organs, such as the liver or the pancreas. It may stay where it arose or spread to other organs, and it comes in several forms, including:

• Carcinoma in situ: an early-stage cancer confined to the tissue layer where it began. It has not spread to other organs of the body.
• Invasive carcinoma: cancer that has spread into the surrounding tissue.
• Metastatic carcinoma: cancer that has spread to other tissues and organs.

The most common carcinomas

Carcinomas can arise in many parts of the body. The most common types are:

Basal cell carcinoma (basalioma) — the most common skin cancer. The cancer cells develop in the basal layer of the skin. Basal cells usually grow more slowly, so the chance of metastasis and spread to other organs is low. The cure rate reaches up to 99%, and the chance of recurrence within 5 years is around 5%. Still, it can badly damage tissue locally (for example on the face) if left untreated.

Squamous cell carcinoma — the second most common skin cancer. The cancer cells develop in the squamous cells of the outer skin layer. Squamous cell cancer usually grows slowly, so the chance of metastasis is not high, but it is more inclined than basalioma to spread into the fatty layer beneath the skin. Survival is fairly high, up to 98%. The recurrence rate is 6.7%, and 96% of recurrences happen within 2 years of treatment. The risk rises if the tumor appears on the lips, ears, or in people with immunodeficiency — then it is more aggressive.

Clear cell carcinoma — the most common type of kidney cancer. The cancer arises in the cells of the kidney tubule. The overall 5-year survival for kidney carcinoma is 75%. After the tumor is removed (nephrectomy), the chance the cancer returns is 20% to 40%. Clear cell carcinoma is treacherous because it can “sleep” and return many years later, so monitoring after nephrectomy is critical. It is also very important to look after the factors and lifestyle habits you can influence, to reduce the chance of recurrence as much as possible.

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) — the most common type of breast cancer. The cancer cells are confined to the walls of the milk ducts and have not spread into the surrounding breast tissue. The 5-year survival for DCIS (Stage 0) is 99%. The chance of recurrence within 15 years is 20–30% if a woman declines additional treatment (radiotherapy or hormone therapy) after surgery. With full treatment, this risk falls to 10–15%.

Invasive ductal carcinoma — the cells have mutated in the milk ducts and broken through into the surrounding tissue. From there the cancer can spread to other parts of the body. If you are diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma, the overall 10-year survival is 84%. It depends heavily on spread (with no metastases, survival is 99%); if the cancer has spread to a distant part of the body, the 5-year survival is 30–31%.

Carcinoma treatment

Treatment of carcinoma differs by type, location, size and spread, but may include:

Surgery: depending on the cancer type, carcinoma can be treated surgically by removing the cancerous and surrounding tissue. Minimally invasive surgery can shorten recovery time and reduce the risk of infection after the operation.

Radiotherapy: may be used together with surgery and/or chemotherapy. Advanced techniques let oncologists carefully track the tumor during and after treatment. Radiotherapy may use X-rays, gamma rays and others; radioactive substances may also be given or injected into a vein. Radiotherapy raises the chance of developing cancer again. Its side effects depend heavily on the dose and are divided into those appearing soon and those appearing later, from a few months to a few years. The most common immediate effect is weakness; other symptoms depend on the specific cancer type. In any case, the side effects of radiotherapy are smaller than those of chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy: one of the most common cancer treatments. These are anti-cancer drugs that target rapidly dividing cells throughout the body or in a specific area.

What I can do in the fight against carcinoma

Alcohol is toxic to cells, so drinking it can speed up damage and bring avoidable consequences. It is best to give up alcohol.

Mushrooms have been used as medicine for thousands of years for their unmatched pharmacological range. Lentinan, from the Lentinus edodes medicinal mushroom, is the most thoroughly studied and documented anti-cancer compound, best known for stimulating immunity (activating cytokines, macrophages, NK and other immune cells).

Frequently Asked Questions