Cancers are classified by the kind of cell that resembles the growth and, therefore, the tissue presumed to become the origin of the growth. These are the histology and also the location, respectively. Examples of common categories include:
- Carcinoma: Malignant tumors based on epithelial cells. This group represents the most typical cancers, including the common types of breast, prostate, lung and intestinal tract cancer.
- Sarcoma: Malignant tumors based on connective tissue, or mesenchymal tissue.
- Lymphoma and leukemia: Malignancies based on hematopoietic (blood-forming) tissue
- Germ cell tumor: Tumors based on totipotent cells. In adults usually found in the testicle as well as ovary; in fetuses, babies, and young children most often on the body midline, particularly at the end of the tailbone; in horses usually found at the poll (base from the skull).
- Blastic tumor or even blastoma: A tumor (generally malignant) which resembles a good immature or embryonic tissue. Several tumors are most common within children.
Malignant tumors (cancers) are often named using -carcinoma, -sarcoma or -blastoma like a suffix, with the Latin or Greek word for that organ of origin as the main. For instance, a cancer from the liver is called ''hepatocarcinoma''; a cancer from the fat cells is called ''liposarcoma''. With regard to common cancers, the English organ name can be used. For instance, the most common kind of breast cancer is called ''ductal carcinoma from the breast'' or ''mammary ductal carcinoma''. Right here, the adjective ''ductal'' refers towards the appearance of the cancer underneath the microscope, resembling normal breast ducts.
Benign tumors (that are not cancers) are named using -oma like a suffix with the organ name since the root. For instance, a benign tumor from the smooth muscle of the uterus is known as ''leiomyoma'' (the common name of the frequent tumor is ''fibroid''). Regrettably, some cancers also use the actual -oma suffix, examples being most cancers and seminoma.
