Is a carcinoma something that causes cancer?

A carcinoma is not something that will cause cancer in either kids or adults.

A carcinoma is a type of cancer that develops from epithelial cells. Specifically, a carcinoma is a cancer that begins in a tissue that lines the inner or outer surfaces of the body, and that generally arises from cells originating in the endodermal or ectodermal germ layer during embryogenesis.

Carcinomas occur when the hereditary material in humans or the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of a cell is damaged or altered and the cell begins to grow uncontrollably and becomes malignant. It is from the Greek meaning sore, ulcer, or cancer.

Pointedly, cancer starts when cells in the body begin to grow out of control. Cells in nearly any part of the body can become cancer, and can spread to other areas of the body. Specifically, concerning children adults, the cancers that develop in children are often different from the types that develop in adults.

Childhood cancers are often the result of DNA changes in cells that take place very early in life, sometimes even before birth. Unlike many cancers in adults, childhood cancers are not strongly linked to lifestyle or environmental risk factors.