Adenocarcinomas are cancers that arise from glandular cells. Adenocarcinomas tend to be less aggressive than other forms of cancers as they typically have not begun to invade other tissues. Adenocarcinomas often do not cause early symptoms and are usually discovered during physical exams and tests.
Locations
CancerCenter.com explains that there are many different parts of the body where adenocarcinomas can occur. Adenocarcinomas are most common in the lungs, but they can also affect the bladder, the colon, the breasts, the prostate, the cervix and the pancreas. Any tissue with a glandular lining can develop adenocarcinomas.
Surgery
Because adenocarcinomas typically form a localized lump, they are often treated surgically. According to the College of American Pathologists, colon adenocarcinomas, for example, are usually surgically removed as part of a colonoscopy. Intelihealth explains that lung adenocarcinomas can also be treated surgically. Usually the surrounding lymph nodes are also removed. Another option is video-assisted thorascopy, in which a small flexible camera is inserted through an incision in the chest. This allows the surgeon to visualize and remove any abnormal growths using special tools.
Pathology
After an adenocarcinoma has been surgically removed, the tissue will usually be examined by a pathologist under a microscope. The pathologist will be looking at the margins of the removed tissue. If there are cancerous cells in the margins, that means that there is a chance that some of the cancer cells escaped the surgery. Healthy tissue in the margins, on the other hand, suggests that all of the cancer was removed.
Chemotherapy and Radiation
Intelihealth notes that adenocarcinomas can also be treated with radiation and chemotherapy. Chemotherapy and radiation treatments both work to kill or poison cancer cells. Radiation therapy works by exposing the patient to high levels of focused X-ray beams. Chemotherapy drugs can either damage the DNA of cancer cells or can interfere with the cellular processes needed for cells to divide. These two treatments are often used in combination to maximize their effects and to kill any cancer cells that surgery might leave behind. Alternately, they can be used to shrink the adenocarcinoma before surgery or as a treatment for adenocarcinomas that cannot be treated surgically.
Follow Up
Once an adenocarcinoma has been successfully treated, patients will need regular monitoring to make sure the cancer does not come back. Recurrent cancer is particularly dangerous because these cells tend to be more aggressive and resistant to chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
