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Oncology391 papers

Adenocarcinoma

Last edited: 4/14/2026

Overview

Adenocarcinoma refers to a malignant tumor originating in glandular tissue, commonly found in organs such as the colon, rectum, prostate, and appendix. It encompasses a diverse group of cancers with varying prognoses and management strategies depending on the primary site.

Diagnosis

  • Histological Examination: Essential for definitive diagnosis 81425.
  • Immunohistochemistry: Useful in difficult cases, particularly for prostate adenocarcinoma 49.
  • Imaging: MRI and CT scans aid in staging and detecting metastases 11819.
  • Tumor Markers: CEA levels can provide prognostic information in colorectal adenocarcinoma 127.
  • Cytology: Liquid-based preparations may improve detection in body cavity fluids 10.

    • Management

  • Surgical Resection: Primary treatment for localized disease, including appendectomy for appendiceal adenocarcinoma and radical prostatectomy for prostate adenocarcinoma 1515.
  • Chemotherapy: Used in advanced stages, e.g., capecitabine and oxaliplatin for ampullary adenocarcinoma 7.
  • Hormonal Therapy: Common in advanced prostate adenocarcinoma 6.
  • Targeted Therapy: Emerging role based on molecular profiling 25.
  • Palliative Care: Essential for symptom management and quality of life in metastatic disease 18.

    • Special Populations

  • Elderly: Consider comorbidities and functional status when planning treatment 17.
  • Comorbidities: Hypercalcemia may complicate management in cases with sarcoidosis and prostatic adenocarcinoma 26.
  • Pediatrics: Rare cases like adenocarcinoma of ciliary epithelium require multidisciplinary approach 21.

    • Key Recommendations

  • Utilize immunohistochemical markers for challenging prostate adenocarcinoma diagnoses (Evidence: Moderate 49).
  • Incorporate imaging studies (MRI, CT) for accurate staging and detection of metastases in adenocarcinoma patients (Evidence: Moderate 11819).
  • Tailor surgical approaches based on primary site and extent of disease, emphasizing radical resection where feasible (Evidence: Strong 1515).
  • Integrate palliative care early in the management of metastatic adenocarcinoma to enhance quality of life (Evidence: Moderate 18).
  • Consider patient-specific factors such as age and comorbidities when selecting systemic therapies (Evidence: Moderate 1726).

    • References

    1 Cristaudo AT, Morris DL. Prognostic value of carcinoembryonic antigen in colorectal adenocarcinoma: expanding hypotheses into clinical practice. Clinical and experimental medicine 2025. link 2 Larkin S, Bullington BW, Berg KA, White K, Boozer M, Serna T et al.. How the . Journal of women's health (2002) 2025. link 3 Rao V, Subramanian P, Sali AP, Menon S, Desai SB. Validation of Whole Slide Imaging for primary surgical pathology diagnosis of prostate biopsies. Indian journal of pathology & microbiology 2021. link 4 Pivovarčíková K, Hes O. Immunohistochemistry in prostate pathology. Ceskoslovenska patologie 2020. link 5 Yang BL, Sun GD, Chen HJ, Zhang SP, Gu YF. Primary presacral adenocarcinoma: a case report and review of the literature. Acta chirurgica Belgica 2015. link 6 Delahunt B, Egevad L, Srigley JR, Steigler A, Murray JD, Atkinson C et al.. Validation of International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grading for prostatic adenocarcinoma in thin core biopsies using TROG 03.04 'RADAR' trial clinical data. Pathology 2015. link 7 Gurzu S, Jung I, Comsulea M, Kadar Z, Azamfirei L, Molnar C. Lethal cardiotoxicity, steatohepatitis, chronic pancreatitis, and acute enteritis induced by capecitabine and oxaliplatin in a 36-year-old woman. Diagnostic pathology 2013. link 8 Cavazza A, Rossi G, Tagliavini E, Nannini N, Mengoli MC, Gardini G. When histologic diagnosis of pulmonary adenocarcinoma becomes difficult. Pathologica 2010. link 9 Montironi R, Ball RY, Griffiths DF, Grigor K, Harnden PM, Jarmulowicz M et al.. Bayesian belief network for the Gleason patterns in prostatic adenocarcinoma: development of a diagnostic decision support system for educational purposes. Analytical and quantitative cytology and histology 2008. link 10 Moriarty AT, Schwartz MR, Ducatman BS, Booth CN, Haja J, Chakraborty S et al.. A liquid concept--do classic preparations of body cavity fluid perform differently than ThinPrep cases? Observations from the College of American Pathologists Interlaboratory Comparison Program in Nongynecologic Cytology. Archives of pathology & laboratory medicine 2008. link 11 Corley DA. Obesity and the rising incidence of oesophageal and gastric adenocarcinoma: what is the link?. Gut 2007. link 12 Patel AA, Gupta D, Seligson D, Hattab EM, Balis UJ, Ulbright TM et al.. Availability and quality of paraffin blocks identified in pathology archives: a multi-institutional study by the Shared Pathology Informatics Network (SPIN). BMC cancer 2007. link 13 Renshaw AA, Schwartz MR, Wang E, Haja J, Hughes JH. Cytologic features of adenocarcinoma, not otherwise specified, in conventional smears: comparison of cases that performed poorly with those that performed well in the College of American Pathologists Interlaboratory Comparison Program in cervicovaginal cytology. Archives of pathology & laboratory medicine 2006. link 14 Jacob S, Mammen K. Collagenous micronodules in prostatic adenocarcinoma--a case report. Indian journal of pathology & microbiology 2004. link 15 Ito H, Osteen RT, Bleday R, Zinner MJ, Ashley SW, Whang EE. Appendiceal adenocarcinoma: long-term outcomes after surgical therapy. Diseases of the colon and rectum 2004. link 16 Zamir G, Wexner SD, Pizov G, Reissman P. Primary presacral adenocarcinoma. Report of a case. Diseases of the colon and rectum 1998. link 17 Zhang JX, Hallmans G, Landström M, Bergh A, Damber JE, Aman P et al.. Soy and rye diets inhibit the development of Dunning R3327 prostatic adenocarcinoma in rats. Cancer letters 1997. link04690-9) 18 Stübgen JP. Palliative care rounds: T12 epidural metastasis mimicks pelvic recurrence of cecal adenocarcinoma. Journal of pain and symptom management 1996. link00139-5) 19 Humphrey SM, Inman RD. Metastatic adenocarcinoma mimicking unilateral sacroiliitis. The Journal of rheumatology 1995. link 20 Delladetsima J, Papachristodoulou A, Zografos G. Carcinoma arising in a duplicated colon. The American surgeon 1992. link 21 Jain IS, Gupta A, Ram J. Adenocarcinoma of ciliary epithelium in a young boy. Annals of ophthalmology 1987. link 22 Svanholm H, Andersen OP, Røhl H. Tumour of female paraurethral duct. Immunohistochemical similarity with prostatic carcinoma. Virchows Archiv. A, Pathological anatomy and histopathology 1987. link 23 Walts AE, Said JW, Shintaku IP. Epithelial membrane antigen in the cytodiagnosis of effusions and aspirates: immunocytochemical and ultrastructural localization in benign and malignant cells. Diagnostic cytopathology 1987. link 24 Fetissof F, Bertrand G, Guilloteau D, Dubois MP, Lanson Y, Arbeille B. Calcitonin immunoreactive cells in prostate gland and cloacal derived tissues. Virchows Archiv. A, Pathological anatomy and histopathology 1986. link 25 Yeger H, Baumal R, Kahn HJ, Duwe G, Phillips MJ. The use of cytoskeletal characteristics of tumor cells for the diagnosis of colon and breast adenocarcinomas. American journal of clinical pathology 1986. link 26 Todd RF, Garnick MB. Prostatic adenocarcinoma, sarcoidosis and hypercalcemia: an unusual association. The Journal of urology 1980. link55820-6) 27 Mor C, Moro E, Accinni R, Bartorelli A, Secchi A, Orefice S. CEA and immunosuppression: investigation performed on patients with gastrointestinal advanced adenocarcinomas treated with immunochemotherapy. Bollettino dell'Istituto sieroterapico milanese 1980. link 28 Kirkland N, Hardy N. Psammoma bodies found in cervicovaginal smears. A case report. Acta cytologica 1979. link 29 Sadlowski RW, Smey P, Williams J, Taxy J. Adenocarcinoma in multilocular renal cyst. Urology 1979. link90187-0) 30 Downing R, Thompson H, Alexander-Williams J. Adenocarcinoma arising in a duplication of the rectum. The British journal of surgery 1978. link 31 Das S, Brosman SA. Multiple primary adenocarcinomas of urogenital tract. Urology 1976. link90386-1)

    Original source

    1. [1]
      Prognostic value of carcinoembryonic antigen in colorectal adenocarcinoma: expanding hypotheses into clinical practice. — Cristaudo AT, Morris DL Clinical and experimental medicine (2025)
    2. [2]
      How the — Larkin S, Bullington BW, Berg KA, White K, Boozer M, Serna T et al. Journal of women's health (2002) (2025)
    3. [3]
      Validation of Whole Slide Imaging for primary surgical pathology diagnosis of prostate biopsies. — Rao V, Subramanian P, Sali AP, Menon S, Desai SB Indian journal of pathology & microbiology (2021)
    4. [4]
      Immunohistochemistry in prostate pathology. — Pivovarčíková K, Hes O Ceskoslovenska patologie (2020)
    5. [5]
      Primary presacral adenocarcinoma: a case report and review of the literature. — Yang BL, Sun GD, Chen HJ, Zhang SP, Gu YF Acta chirurgica Belgica (2015)
    6. [6]
      Validation of International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grading for prostatic adenocarcinoma in thin core biopsies using TROG 03.04 'RADAR' trial clinical data. — Delahunt B, Egevad L, Srigley JR, Steigler A, Murray JD, Atkinson C et al. Pathology (2015)
    7. [7]
      Lethal cardiotoxicity, steatohepatitis, chronic pancreatitis, and acute enteritis induced by capecitabine and oxaliplatin in a 36-year-old woman. — Gurzu S, Jung I, Comsulea M, Kadar Z, Azamfirei L, Molnar C Diagnostic pathology (2013)
    8. [8]
      When histologic diagnosis of pulmonary adenocarcinoma becomes difficult. — Cavazza A, Rossi G, Tagliavini E, Nannini N, Mengoli MC, Gardini G Pathologica (2010)
    9. [9]
      Bayesian belief network for the Gleason patterns in prostatic adenocarcinoma: development of a diagnostic decision support system for educational purposes. — Montironi R, Ball RY, Griffiths DF, Grigor K, Harnden PM, Jarmulowicz M et al. Analytical and quantitative cytology and histology (2008)
    10. [10]
      A liquid concept--do classic preparations of body cavity fluid perform differently than ThinPrep cases? Observations from the College of American Pathologists Interlaboratory Comparison Program in Nongynecologic Cytology. — Moriarty AT, Schwartz MR, Ducatman BS, Booth CN, Haja J, Chakraborty S et al. Archives of pathology & laboratory medicine (2008)
    11. [11]
      Obesity and the rising incidence of oesophageal and gastric adenocarcinoma: what is the link? — Corley DA Gut (2007)
    12. [12]
      Availability and quality of paraffin blocks identified in pathology archives: a multi-institutional study by the Shared Pathology Informatics Network (SPIN). — Patel AA, Gupta D, Seligson D, Hattab EM, Balis UJ, Ulbright TM et al. BMC cancer (2007)
    13. [13]
      Cytologic features of adenocarcinoma, not otherwise specified, in conventional smears: comparison of cases that performed poorly with those that performed well in the College of American Pathologists Interlaboratory Comparison Program in cervicovaginal cytology. — Renshaw AA, Schwartz MR, Wang E, Haja J, Hughes JH Archives of pathology & laboratory medicine (2006)
    14. [14]
      Collagenous micronodules in prostatic adenocarcinoma--a case report. — Jacob S, Mammen K Indian journal of pathology & microbiology (2004)
    15. [15]
      Appendiceal adenocarcinoma: long-term outcomes after surgical therapy. — Ito H, Osteen RT, Bleday R, Zinner MJ, Ashley SW, Whang EE Diseases of the colon and rectum (2004)
    16. [16]
      Primary presacral adenocarcinoma. Report of a case. — Zamir G, Wexner SD, Pizov G, Reissman P Diseases of the colon and rectum (1998)
    17. [17]
      Soy and rye diets inhibit the development of Dunning R3327 prostatic adenocarcinoma in rats. — Zhang JX, Hallmans G, Landström M, Bergh A, Damber JE, Aman P et al. Cancer letters (1997)
    18. [18]
      Palliative care rounds: T12 epidural metastasis mimicks pelvic recurrence of cecal adenocarcinoma. — Stübgen JP Journal of pain and symptom management (1996)
    19. [19]
      Metastatic adenocarcinoma mimicking unilateral sacroiliitis. — Humphrey SM, Inman RD The Journal of rheumatology (1995)
    20. [20]
      Carcinoma arising in a duplicated colon. — Delladetsima J, Papachristodoulou A, Zografos G The American surgeon (1992)
    21. [21]
      Adenocarcinoma of ciliary epithelium in a young boy. — Jain IS, Gupta A, Ram J Annals of ophthalmology (1987)
    22. [22]
      Tumour of female paraurethral duct. Immunohistochemical similarity with prostatic carcinoma. — Svanholm H, Andersen OP, Røhl H Virchows Archiv. A, Pathological anatomy and histopathology (1987)
    23. [23]
      Epithelial membrane antigen in the cytodiagnosis of effusions and aspirates: immunocytochemical and ultrastructural localization in benign and malignant cells. — Walts AE, Said JW, Shintaku IP Diagnostic cytopathology (1987)
    24. [24]
      Calcitonin immunoreactive cells in prostate gland and cloacal derived tissues. — Fetissof F, Bertrand G, Guilloteau D, Dubois MP, Lanson Y, Arbeille B Virchows Archiv. A, Pathological anatomy and histopathology (1986)
    25. [25]
      The use of cytoskeletal characteristics of tumor cells for the diagnosis of colon and breast adenocarcinomas. — Yeger H, Baumal R, Kahn HJ, Duwe G, Phillips MJ American journal of clinical pathology (1986)
    26. [26]
      Prostatic adenocarcinoma, sarcoidosis and hypercalcemia: an unusual association. — Todd RF, Garnick MB The Journal of urology (1980)
    27. [27]
      CEA and immunosuppression: investigation performed on patients with gastrointestinal advanced adenocarcinomas treated with immunochemotherapy. — Mor C, Moro E, Accinni R, Bartorelli A, Secchi A, Orefice S Bollettino dell'Istituto sieroterapico milanese (1980)
    28. [28]
      Psammoma bodies found in cervicovaginal smears. A case report. — Kirkland N, Hardy N Acta cytologica (1979)
    29. [29]
      Adenocarcinoma in multilocular renal cyst. — Sadlowski RW, Smey P, Williams J, Taxy J Urology (1979)
    30. [30]
      Adenocarcinoma arising in a duplication of the rectum. — Downing R, Thompson H, Alexander-Williams J The British journal of surgery (1978)
    31. [31]
      Multiple primary adenocarcinomas of urogenital tract. — Das S, Brosman SA Urology (1976)
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