Adenocarcinoma is a type of cancer that develops in the lining of glandular organs. It is the most common form of lung cancer, but can also occur in the colon, breasts, stomach, prostate, pancreas and cervix. Like other forms of cancer, it develops when abnormal or diseased cells grow and multiply. Unlike other forms of cancer, however, it often stays in one area of the body and can be slow to spread. How physicians treat an adenocarcinoma depends on where in the body it occurs, its stage and what organs are affected.
Risk Factors
The same environmental and genetic factors that put a person at risk for other types of cancer apply to adenocarcinoma, as well. Smoking is the No. 1 risk factor, health experts say. Others---some controllable, some not---include regular exposure to second-hand smoke; a diet high in fat and red meat; long-term radon or asbestos exposure; and long-term exposure to various work-related carcinogens, including gasoline, coal products, diesel exhaust, talc dust and others. Those with a family history of cancer are also at greater risk and should talk with their doctor about needed screenings, such Pap smears for women, PSA screenings for men and colonoscopy for all adults 50 and older.
Symptoms
Symptoms vary according to where an adenocarcinoma forms. Symptoms of lung adenocarcinoma, for example, include spitting up blood, chronic wheezing and shortness of breath. Bloody stool may be a symptom of colon adenocarcinoma, and a lump found during a mammogram or self-exam may indicate breast adenocarcinoma. As with all forms of cancer, an annual physical and doctor-recommended preventive exams can help detect adenocarcinoma in its earliest stages, when it is most easily treated. Also be sure to report any unusual or disconcerting symptoms to your doctor right away.
Treatments
The location and stage of the adenocarcinoma determines the treatment. If the tumor is localized, surgery may be used to remove diseased cells, followed by radiation, chemotherapy or both. Doctors generally work with a team of specialists to determine the best course of treatment. No matter what regimens are chosen, however, the goal is always the same: to destroy all the diseased cells without injuring nearby healthy tissues.
With radiation therapy, physicians use high-energy beams to shrink a tumor or destroy adenocarcinoma cells. For some forms of the disease, liquid radiation is pumped to the tumor site, or radioactive "seeds" implanted, to shrink the tumor and kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy---anticancer medications usually given intravenously---is most often used when a cancer has spread, or there is a fear that surgery or radiation alone won't be effective.
The American Cancer Society and National Institutes of Health's National Cancer Institute are excellent sources for not just the latest recommended disease-specific treatment guidelines, but for links to clinical trials being conducted at health-care facilities around the country.
Tags: diseased cells, forms cancer, cancer also, other forms, other forms cancer, shrink tumor
