Neoplasm (from Ancient Greek - neo "new" and plasma "formation, creation") is

an abnormal growth of tissue, and when also forming a mass is commonly referred to as
a tumor or tumour. This abnormal growth (neoplasia) usually but not always forms a mass.

Types of tumours

Benign tumours
Precancerous conditions
Malignant tumours
How tumours and cancers are named
Tumours are groups of abnormal cells that form lumps or growths. Different types of
tumours grow and behave differently, depending on whether they are non-cancerous
(benign) or cancerous (malignant). Precancerous conditions have the potential to develop
into cancer.

Benign tumours

Benign tumours are non-cancerous. They rarely cause serious problems or threaten life
unless they occur in a vital organ or grow very large and press on nearby tissues.

Benign tumours tend to grow slowly and stay in one place, not spreading into other parts of
the body.

Once removed by surgery, benign tumours dont usually come back (recur). Benign tumours
usually stay non-cancerous, except in very rare cases.

Precancerous conditions

Precancerous (premalignant) cells are abnormal cells that may develop into cancer if they
arent treated. Some cells develop mild changes that may disappear without any treatment.
Other cells pass on genetic changes and new cells gradually become more and more
abnormal until they turn into cancer. It can take a long time for this to happen.

Precancerous (or premalignant) changes can vary in their degree of abnormality.

hyperplasia an abnormal increase in the number of cells

o Some hyperplasias are precancerous, but most are not.
atypia (atypical) cells look slightly abnormal under a microscope
o Sometimes atypia refers to changes caused by healing and inflammation,
rather than a precancerous change, and the cells go back to normal once
inflammation goes away or the body heals.
metaplasia cells look normal under a microscope, but are not the type normally
found in the that tissue or area
o Metaplasias are usually not precancerous.
 dysplasia cells develop abnormally, have an abnormal appearance and are not
organized like normal cells
o Dysplasia almost always refers to a precancerous condition.
People with precancerous conditions are usually checked regularly, so they can be treated
quickly if cell changes become more severe.

A precancerous condition or premalignant condition, sometimes called a potentially

precancerous condition or potentially premalignant condition, is a state of
disordered morphology of cells that is associated with an increased risk of cancer. If left
untreated, these conditions may lead to cancer. Such conditions are usually
either dysplasia or benign neoplasia (and the dividing line between those is sometimes
blurry). Sometimes the term "precancer" is used to describe carcinoma in situ, which is a
noninvasive cancer that has not progressed to an aggressive, invasive stage. Not all
carcinoma in situ will progress to invasive disease.

Premalignant lesions are morphologically atypical tissue which appears abnormal

under microscopic examination, and in which cancer is more likely to occur than in its
apparently normal counterpart.

Examples of premalignant conditions include:

actinic keratosis[1]

Barrett's esophagus

atrophic gastritis

ductal carcinoma in situ

dyskeratosis congenita

sideropenic dysphagia

lichen planus

oral submucous fibrosis

solar elastosis

cervical dysplasia

leukoplakia
 erythroplakia

Malignant tumours

Malignant tumours are cancerous. Cancer can start in any one of the millions of cells in our
bodies. Cancer cells have a larger nucleusnucleusThe part of the cell that holds the
chromosomes, which contain DNA (genetic information). that looks different from a
normal cells nucleus, and cancer cells behave, grow and function quite differently from
normal cells.
Malignant tumours vary in size and shape. They grow in an uncontrolled, abnormal way and
can grow into (invade) nearby tissues, blood vessels or lymphatic vessels. They can
interfere with body functions and become life-threatening.

Cancer cells can break off and spread to distant locations in the body (metastasize).
Cancer that spreads from its original location (the primary tumour) to a new part of the
body is called metastatic cancer. Malignant tumours can also come back (recur) after they
are removed.

How tumours and cancers are named

The most common way to name cancers is to do so according to the place in the body they
start, such as breast cancer or prostate cancer. Cancers of the blood are called leukemia,
while cancer of the plasma cells is called multiple myeloma and cancers of the lymphatic
system are called lymphoma. Some cancers have been named after the person who first
described them (for example, Hodgkin lymphoma or Wilms tumour).

Another way to name some benign or malignant tumours is after the type of cell or tissue
it develops from (tissue of origin). Most benign tumours and some malignant tumours have
the suffix "oma" at the end of their name. When a malignant tumour has the same name
as a benign tumour, the word "carcinoma" or "sarcoma" is added to the end to identify it as
cancer. For example, a benign tumour of fatty tissue is called a lipoma, whereas a malignant
tumour of fatty tissue is called a liposarcoma.

Benign tumor

A tumor is an abnormal growth of cells that serves no purpose. A benign tumor is not a
malignant tumor, which is cancer. It does not invade nearby tissue or spread to other parts
of the body the waycancer can. In most cases, the outlook with benign tumors is very good.
But benign tumors can be serious if they press on vital structures such as blood vessels or
nerves. Therefore, sometimes they require treatment and other times they do not.
 Causes of Benign Tumors

What causes a benign tumor to form? Often the cause is unknown. But the growth of a
benign tumor might be linked to:

Environmental toxins, such as exposure to radiation

Genetics
Diet
Stress
Local trauma or injury
Inflammation or infection

Treatment of Benign Tumors

In many cases, benign tumors need no treatment. Doctors may simply use "watchful
waiting" to make sure they cause no problems. But treatment may be needed if symptoms
are a problem. Surgery is a common type of treatment for benign tumors. The goal is to
remove the tumor without damaging surrounding tissues. Other types of treatment may
include medication or radiation.

Common Types of Benign Tumors

There are many different types of benign tumors arising from different structures in the
body. These are some of the most common types of benign tumors:

Adenomas are benign tumors starting in the epithelial tissue of a gland or gland-like
structure. The epithelial tissue is the thin layer of tissue covering organs, glands, and
other structures. A common type of adenoma is a polyp in the colon. Adenomas might also
grow in the liveror the adrenal, pituitary, or thyroid gland.

If needed, adenomas can often be removed with surgery. Although not common, this type
of tumor can become malignant. In the colon, less than 1 out of every 10 adenomas become
cancerous.

Fibromas (or fibroids) are tumors of fibrous or connective tissue that can grow in any
organ. Fibroids commonly grow in the uterus. Although not cancerous, uterine fibroids can
lead to heavy vaginal bleeding,bladder problems, or pelvic pain or pressure.

Another type of fibrous tissue tumor is a desmoid tumor. These tumors can cause
problems by growing into nearby tissues.
Because they can cause symptoms, fibrous tissue tumors may need to be removed with
surgery.

Hemangiomas are a buildup of blood vessel cells in the skin or internal organs.
Hemangiomas are a common type of birthmark, often occurring in the head, neck, or trunk.
They may appear red or bluish in color. Most go away on their own. Those that interfere
with vision, hearing, or eating may require treatment with corticosteroids or other
medication.

Lipomas grow from fat cells. They are the most common benign tumor in adults, often
found in the neck, shoulders, back, or arms. Lipomas are slow growing, usually round and
movable, and soft to the touch. They may run in families and sometimes they result from

an injury. Treatment may be needed if a lipoma is painful or growing quickly. This may
include steroid shots or removal through liposuction or surgery.

Two other types of benign fat tumors are lipoblastomas, which occur in young children, and
hibernomas.

Meningiomas are tumors that develop from the membrane surrounding the brain and spinal
cord. About nine in 10 are benign. Many grow slowly. Others grow more quickly. Treatment
varies depending on the location of the meningioma and the symptoms it causes. Symptoms
may include headache and weakness on one side,seizures, personality changes, and visual
problems.

Sometimes the doctor will choose to watch the tumor for a time. If surgery is needed, its
success depends on your age, the location of the tumor, and whether it is attached to
anything. Radiation treatment may be used for tumors that can't be removed.

Myomas are tumors that grow from muscle. Leiomyomas grow from smooth muscle, which is
found in internal organs such as the stomachand uterus. They can start in the walls of
blood vessels. In the wall of the uterus, leiomyomas are often called fibroids. A rare
benign tumor of skeletal muscle is rhabdomyoma. These tumors may be simply watched. To
address symptoms, they may be shrunk with medication or removed with surgery.

Nevi (moles) are growths on the skin. They can range in color from pink and tan to brown
or black. You may develop new moles until about age 40. Moles that look different than
ordinary moles (dysplastic nevi) may be more likely to develop into a type of skin
cancer(melanoma). For this reason, it is important to have your skin checked regularly by
a health care professional. This is especially true if your moles look unusual, grow or
change in shape, have irregular borders, or change in color or in any other way. Sometimes
it is necessary to remove a mole like this to check it for signs of cancer.

Neuromas grow from nerves. Two other types of nerve tumors are neurofibromas and
schwannomas. These benign nerve tumors can occur almost anywhere in nerves that run
throughout the body. Neurofibromas are more common in people with an inherited
condition called neurofibromatosis. Surgery is the most common type of treatment for
benign nerve tumors.

Osteochondromas are the most common type of benign bone tumor. These tumors usually
appear as a painless bump or bumps near the joint such as the knee or shoulder. Often, the
doctor will simply watch this benign tumor with X-rays. Surgery may be needed if the
tumor causes symptoms such as pain or pressure on nerves or blood vessels.

Papillomas are tumors that grow from epithelial tissue and project in finger-like fronds.
They can be benign or malignant. They can grow in the skin, cervix, breast duct, or mucous
membrane covering the inside of the eyelid (conjunctiva), for example. These tumors can
result from direct contact with an infection such as human papillomavirus (HPV). Some
types of papillomas go away on their own. In some cases, surgery is needed to rule
out cancer.

Most Common Types of Benign Tumors

Adenomas (epithelial tissue that covers the organs and glands)

Meningiomas (brain and spinal cord)

Fibromas or fibroids (connective tissue of any organ most commonly found in the
uterus)

Papillomas (skin, breast, cervix, and mucus membranes)

Lipomas (fat cells)

Nevi (moles)

Myomas (muscle tissue)

Hemangiomas (blood vessels and skin)

 Neuromas (nerves)

Osteochondromas (bones)
Depending on the location and size of a benign tumor, treatment might not be
necessary. Doctors will monitor it, track patient symptoms and do tests at specific
intervals.

Benign tumors are often surrounded by a protective sac a mechanism performed by

your immune system that segregates it from the rest of your body and enables it to be
easily removed.

If you are diagnosed with a benign tumor, altering your diet to an anti-cancer regimen is
sound advice. Some benign tumors can become malignant but its rare. Even when they are
removed, your doctor will schedule regular tests periodically to ensure no additional
tumors form (also a rare occurrence).
Overall, benign tumors respond well to treatment and the prognosis is usually favorable.

Malignant Tumor

If your doctor determines that you have a malignant tumor, that means the mass is
cancerous. The word malignant is Latin for badly born. This type of tumor has the ability
to multiply uncontrollably, to metastasize (spread) to various parts of the body and invade
surrounding tissue.

Malignant tumors are formed from abnormal cells that are highly unstable and travel via
the blood stream, circulatory system and lymphatic system. Malignant cells do not have
chemical adhesion molecules to anchor them to the original growth site that benign tumors
possess.

There are many suspected causes of cancer some are widely accepted by the medical
community while others are not. Obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption, poor diet,
environmental pollution, heavy metal exposure and household toxins are a few culprits that
may lead to cancer in your body.

Most Common Types of Malignant Tumors

Sarcomas (connective tissues such as muscle, tendon, fat, and cartilage)

 Carcinomas (organs and gland tissue such as the breast, cervix, prostate, lung, and
thyroid)

Malignant tumors may not have symptoms initially and the first indication that something
isnt right may be the detection of a painless lump. These types of tumors are elastic,
which enables them to grow fairly large before they are detected.

As they grow and begin to press against organs, blood vessels and nerves, pain and general
soreness at the site may occur.

Pre-Cancerous Tumors

Precancerous tumors fall between benign and malignant. These types of growths have the
markers to be malignant but are not yet apparent. They will not be characterized as
malignant unless irrepressible cell growth ensues.

The Bad and the Good

What makes someone good or bad? Perhaps you can come up with some characteristics.
Good people are usually kind, gentle, willing to help others, and tend to smile a lot. Bad
people are those that harm defenseless individuals, cannot control their anger, or are
sitting in jail. The way we can group good vs. bad characteristics in people can also be
applied to the world of trying to figure out whether a tumor is really bad or not.

Benign vs. Malignant Tumors

There are two main classifications of tumors. One is known as benign and the other as
malignant. A benign tumor is a tumor that does not invade its surrounding tissue or spread
around the body. A malignant tumoris a tumor that may invade its surrounding tissue or
spread around the body.

I sometimes compare benign tumors to gentle European bees that typically don't bother
people or cause them much harm. If you get too close, though, you might get stung, but
that's usually it. Similarly, benign tumors on rare occasion may actually be life-threatening
but as a general rule aren't nearly as bad as the malignant tumors.

The malignant tumors are like those killer bees. You don't even have to be doing anything
to them or be anywhere close to their hive and they'll just spread out and attack you en
masse - even kill you if they're severe enough.

Macroscopic Differences
Just like you'd want to tell the differences between gentle bees and killer bees, you'd
want to know the very general and stereotypical characteristics between benign and
malignant tumors. For instance, we know that killer bees are usually bigger than gentler
bees. Well, we can use these types of visually observable or palpable differences for
tumors as well.

Benign tumors usually grow very slowly, while malignant tumors grow more quickly in size.
To put that into a more specific perspective, it may take months or years for a benign
tumor to change significantly in size, while malignant tumors can grow appreciably in just a
few weeks. Benign tumors are also more likely to be freely movable within or on the tissue
they reside on, while malignant tumors may be more difficult to move around due to local
tissue invasion.

Sarcoma

Sarcomas develop in your mesodermal tissue.

Sarcomas include cancers of the:

Bone

Muscle

Fat

Nerves

Cartilage

Fibrous tissue, such as ligaments and connect tissue

Blood cancers

o Leukemia

o Lymphoma

o Myeloma

Characteristics of Sarcomas

Comprise about only 1 percent of all cancers

 Affect both young and old people

Grow in ball-like masses

Spread by satellite nodules

May spread to lungs

Carcinoma

Carcinomas, on the other hand, originate in your epithelial tissue, such as the lining of
your breast, lung, colon or prostate.

Carcinomas include cancers of the:

Breast

Lung

Kidney

Thyroid

Colon

Prostate

Stomach

Many others

Characteristics of Carcinomas

Most common cancers in the world

Comprise more than 90 percent of all cancers

Primarily affect people age 50 or older

Spread throughout body through blood and lymph

 May spread to lymph nodes, lungs and bones

Malignancy

Normal body cells are made up of organelles and a nucleus that contains the chromatin,
which is a combination of DNA and proteins that make up a chromosome. This nucleus also
contains a nucleolus, a small structure with RNA that plays an important part in protein
synthesis. Under normal circumstances, cells of the same type are somewhat equal in size,
have a common shape and spread out evenly. The cells grow slowly by a process known as
mitosis, adhere (stick) to each other and spread out in a layer formation to collectively
form a tissue.

Benign tumors also have normal cells and grow in an ordered manner. However a benign
tumor has no physiological function and is therefore considered as an unnecessary growth
in the body.

A malignant tumor does not have normal cells. These cancer cells are different from
normal cells in the following ways :

Irregular size of cell and nucleus.

Irregular shape of cell and nucleus.
Malignant cells stain differently from normal cells under microscopic examination.
Chromatin within nuclei clump irregularly.
Nuceloli are large, prominent and irregular.
Malignant cells do not stick (adhere) to each other as well as normal cells.
Malignant cells are compacted within a smaller area.