Get Affordable VMs - excellent virtual server hosting


browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
carcinoma

more about carcinoma

carcinoma

 

  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Cancer  \Can"cer\,  n.  [L.  cancer,  cancri  crab,  ulcer,  a  sign  of 
  the  zodiac;  akin  to  Gr  karki`nos,  Skr.  karka[.t]a  crab,  and 
  prob.  Skr.  karkara  hard,  the  crab  being  named  from  its  hard 
  shell.  Cf  {Canner},  {Chancre}.] 
  1.  (Zo["o]l.)  A  genus  of  decapod  Crustacea,  including  some  of 
  the  most  common  shore  crabs  of  Europe  and  North  America, 
  as  the  rock  crab,  Jonah  crab,  etc  See  {Crab}. 
 
  2.  (Astron.) 
  a  The  fourth  of  the  twelve  signs  of  the  zodiac.  The 
  first  point  is  the  northern  limit  of  the  sun's  course 
  in  summer;  hence  the  sign  of  the  summer  solstice.  See 
  {Tropic}. 
  b  A  northern  constellation  between  Gemini  and  Leo. 
 
  3.  (Med.)  Formerly,  any  malignant  growth,  esp.  one  attended 
  with  great  pain  and  ulceration,  with  cachexia  and 
  progressive  emaciation.  It  was  so  called  perhaps,  from 
  the  great  veins  which  surround  it  compared  by  the 
  ancients  to  the  claws  of  a  crab.  The  term  is  now 
  restricted  to  such  a  growth  made  up  of  aggregations  of 
  epithelial  cells,  either  without  support  or  embedded  in 
  the  meshes  of  a  trabecular  framework. 
 
  Note:  Four  kinds  of  cancers  are  recognized:  (1)  {Epithelial 
  cancer,  or  Epithelioma},  in  which  there  is  no 
  trabecular  framework.  See  {Epithelioma}.  (2)  {Scirrhous 
  cancer,  or  Hard  cancer},  in  which  the  framework 
  predominates,  and  the  tumor  is  of  hard  consistence  and 
  slow  growth.  (3)  {Encephaloid,  Medullary,  or  Soft 
  cancer},  in  which  the  cellular  element  predominates, 
  and  the  tumor  is  soft,  grows  rapidy,  and  often 
  ulcerates.  (4)  {Colloid  cancer},  in  which  the  cancerous 
  structure  becomes  gelatinous.  The  last  three  varieties 
  are  also  called  {carcinoma}. 
 
  {Cancer  cells},  cells  once  believed  to  be  peculiar  to 
  cancers,  but  now  know  to  be  epithelial  cells  differing  in 
  no  respect  from  those  found  elsewhere  in  the  body,  and 
  distinguished  only  by  peculiarity  of  location  and 
  grouping. 
 
  {Cancer  root}  (Bot.),  the  name  of  several  low  plants,  mostly 
  parasitic  on  roots,  as  the  beech  drops,  the  squawroot, 
  etc 
 
  {Tropic  of  Cancer}.  See  {Tropic}. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Carcinoma  \Car`ci*no"ma\,  n.  [L.,  fr  Gr  ?,  fr  ?  crab,  cancer. 
  See  {-oma}.]  (Med.) 
  A  cancer.  By  some  medical  writers,  the  term  is  applied  to  an 
  indolent  tumor.  See  {Cancer}.  --Dunglison. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  carcinoma 
  n  :  any  malignant  tumor  derived  from  epithelial  tissue;  one  of 
  the  four  major  types  of  cancer




more about carcinoma