There are several general categories of cancer. Cancers that arise from epithelial surfaces are called carcinomas. If the surface is a glandular type of surface, then they are called adenocarcinomas. Carcinomas and adenocarcinomas are the most common type of cancer. They include lung, breast, prostate, intestinal, skin, ovary, cervix, oral, kidney and bladder.
Most cancers are carcinomas or adenocarcinomas.
Cancers that arise from supporting structures such as bone, muscle, cartilage, fat and fibrous tissue are called sarcomas. The third major category are the leukemias and lymphomas. These cancers arise from blood cell elements. Brain cancers, nerve cancers, melanomas, and certain testicular and ovarian cancers do not fall into any general category. Carcinomas arise from the epithelial covering or epithelial lining of structures.