Carcinoma is a malignancy 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 arises from cells originating in the endodermal, mesodermal or ectodermal germ layer during embryogenesis. Carcinomas occur when the DNA of a cell is damaged or altered and the cell begins to grow uncontrollably and becomes malignant. It is from the Greek: ¦Ê¦Á¦Ñ¦Ê?¦Í¦Ø¦Ì¦Á, romanized: karkinoma, lit.?'sore, ulcer, cancer' (itself derived from karkinos meaning crab).

Reference
Wiki: Carcinoma