What is the difference between an adenoma and a carcinoma?
Both are tumors that develop from epithelial cells (Cells that have a free surface on one side and are attached to tissue on the other side and contain no blood vessels). Epithelial cells line most glands and organs and the skin. An adenoma is a specific kind of benign (non cancerous) tumor that starts on a gland or organ. While an adenoma is benign sometimes, however, adenomas develop into malignancies. When this happens, the newly malignant adenoma is called an adenocarcinoma. A carcinoma is any cancerous tumor that develops from any epithelial cells.
