adenocarcinoma

a malignant epithelial tumour arising from glandular structures, which are constituent parts of most organs of the body. The term is also applied to tumours showing a glandular growth pattern. These tumours may be subclassified according to the substances that they produce, for example mucus-secreting and serous adenocarcinomas, or to the microscopic arrangement of their cells into patterns, for example papillary and follicular adenocarcinomas. They may be solid or cystic (cystadenocarcinomas).