The key difference between carcinoma and sarcoma is that carcinoma is a type of cancer that develops in the skin or tissue cells that line the internal organs of the body, like kidneys and liver, while sarcoma is a type of cancer that develops in the connective tissue cells of the body.
There are more than 200 types of cancers in humans. They can be classified based on the cell type. According to cell type, cancers are usually grouped into five groups: carcinoma (begins in the skin or tissues that line the internal organs), sarcoma (begins in the connective tissue), leukemia (begins in the tissues that make blood cells in bone marrow), lymphoma or myeloma (begins in the cells of the immune system) and brain and spinal cord cancers (central nervous system cancers).
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Carcinoma
3. What is Sarcoma
4. Similarities – Carcinoma and Sarcoma
5. Carcinoma vs Sarcoma in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Carcinoma vs Sarcoma
What is Carcinoma?
Carcinoma is a cancer type that begins in the skin or tissues that line the internal organs. There are different subtypes of carcinoma, such as adenocarcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and transitional cell carcinoma. Carcinoma is also defined as a cancer that forms in the epithelial tissue. Epithelial tissue covers most of the organs and the internal passageways in the body, such as the esophagus and the skin.
Carcinoma can also affect breasts, kidneys, liver, lungs, pancreas, prostate gland, head, and neck. Moreover, carcinomas may have common symptoms such as open sores with raised borders, scaly and dark skin patches, firm growths, spots that usually resemble age spots, loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss, and pain in the side of the body. The risk factors for carcinoma include age (more in 65 or older), sex (high in people assigned male at birth), race/ethnicity (people who are Black are at greater risk of certain adenocarcinomas, people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent are at the greatest risk of colon cancer, and people who are white are at greater risk of developing skin carcinomas).
Figure 01: Carcinoma
Carcinoma can be diagnosed through physical examination, blood test, imaging test (mammogram or colonoscopy, MRIs, CT scans, PET scans, and X-rays), and biopsy. Furthermore, carcinoma is treated through surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, immune therapy, and hormone therapy.
What is Sarcoma?
Sarcoma is a cancer that begins in the connective or supportive tissue like bone, cartilage, fat muscle, and blood vessels. The common signs and symptoms of sarcoma include a lump that may be painful or painless that can be felt through bone, pain, a broken bone that occurs unexpectedly, abdominal pain, and weight loss. The risk factors for sarcoma include inherited syndromes, radiation therapy for cancer, chronic swelling (lymphedema), exposure to chemicals, and exposure to viruses.
Figure 02: Sarcoma
Sarcoma can be diagnosed through physical examination, imaging tests, X-rays, MRI, ultrasound, CT, bone scans and positron emission tomography (PET) scans, and biopsy. Furthermore, treatment options for sarcoma may include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and ablation therapy.
What are the Similarities Between Carcinoma and Sarcoma?
- Carcinoma and sarcoma are two types of cancers based on cell types.
- Both types can be caused by gene or DNA mutations.
- Both types can be diagnosed through physical examination and imaging tests.
- They can be treated through surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy.
What is the Difference Between Carcinoma and Sarcoma?
Carcinoma is a type of cancer that forms in the skin or tissue cells that line the internal organs such as kidneys and liver, etc., while sarcoma is a type of cancer that forms in the connective tissue cells of the body. This is the key difference between carcinoma and sarcoma. Furthermore, risk factors for carcinoma include age (more in 65 or older), sex (high in males), race/ethnicity (people who are Black are at greater risk of certain adenocarcinomas, people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent are at the greatest risk of colon cancer and people who are white are at greater risk of developing skin carcinomas). The risk factors for sarcoma include inherited syndromes, radiation therapy for cancer, chronic swelling (lymphedema), exposure to chemicals, and exposure to viruses.
The following table summarizes the difference between carcinoma and sarcoma.
Summary – Carcinoma vs Sarcoma
Cancer is a condition in which some of the cells of the body grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body. According to the histological standpoint and based on cell types, cancers can be classified into six grouped major categories such as carcinoma, sarcoma, leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma, brain and spinal cord cancers, and mixed types. Carcinoma and sarcoma are two types of cancers based on cell types. Carcinoma is defined as a cancer that forms in epithelial tissue, while sarcoma is defined as a cancer that forms in connective tissue. This summarizes the difference between carcinoma and sarcoma.
Reference:
1. “Carcinoma: Types, Treatment & What It Is.” Cleveland Clinic.
2. “Sarcoma.” Mayo Clinic.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Squamous Cell Carcinoma” By BruceBlaus – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Kaposis sarcoma 01” By M. Sand, D. Sand, C. Thrandorf, V. Paech, P. Altmeyer, F. G. Bechara – M. Sand, D. Sand, C. Thrandorf, V. Paech, P. Altmeyer, F. G. Bechara: Cutaneous lesions of the nose. In: Head & face medicine Band 6, 2010, S. 7, ISSN 1746-160X. doi:10.1186/1746-160X-6-7. PMID 20525327. (Review). Open Access (CC BY 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia