How to Pronounce Adenocarcinoma of the Colon

Say it like this: ad-eh-noh-kar-sih-NOH-mah of the KOH-lon. The stress (loud part) falls on the third syllable from the end: "NOH" in "adenocarcinoma" and "KOH" in "colon." The word has a lot of syllables, so take your time with each part.

The word has three main parts: "adeno" (meaning gland), "carci" (meaning cancer), and "noma" (meaning tumor or growth). So "adenocarcinoma" literally means a cancerous tumor that starts in glandular tissue.

Many people stress the wrong syllable and say ad-en-oh-KAR-sin-oh-mah instead of ad-eh-noh-kar-sih-NOH-mah. Remember: the main stress goes on "NOH," not on "KAR."

Adenocarcinoma of the colon is a type of cancer that starts in the glandular cells lining the inside of the large intestine. In everyday terms, it's the most common kind of colon cancer.

It's often shortened to "colorectal adenocarcinoma" or simply "colon cancer" in everyday conversation. You might also see "CRC" used for colorectal cancer in general.

Several words use "adeno" because it means gland: adenoma (a noncancerous gland tumor), adenitis (inflammation of a gland), and adenoids (glandular tissue in the throat). Anytime you see "adeno," you're reading about something involving glands.

You might read or hear: "The patient was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the colon during a screening." This simply tells you what type of condition was found, without saying anything about what happens next.

Doctors use the specific name "adenocarcinoma" to tell you exactly where the cancer started—in glandular cells—which helps medical professionals communicate clearly about the type of cancer. It's more precise than just saying "cancer."