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Why Are Some Tumors Malignant & Some Benign?

As cancer cells grow and divide out of control, they may affect nearby organs. If a tumor affects nearby tissues by invading and destroying them, the tumor is said to be malignant. Tumors that do not destroy the surrounding tissues are deemed to be benign, although they may crowd out and affect the proper function of nearby organs.

  1. Cancer Spread

    • Cancer occurs when cells are unable to control their growth and division. As the cancerous cell mass, known as a tumor, grows, it may have an impact on nearby tissues or organs. If the cancerous cells travel to other parts of the body, an action known as metastasis, a new tumor may grow in a different place from the original.

    Benign Tumors

    • Benign tumors are those tumors that do not threaten the life of the patient. These tumors do not grow beyond their location, and their cells do not travel to other parts of the body. However, benign tumors may cause some disease when they interfere in the normal functioning of nearby organs by growing in size.

    Types of Benign Tumors

    • Moles on the skin are a type of benign tumor. Other benign tumors, like uterine fibroids, may cause pain and discomfort. Still other benign tumors may crowd out important organs, like the brain. And then there are tumors of the glands that may cause an increase in the release of hormones into the blood stream. Even with these complications, the benign tumors will stay at the site where they originated.

    Malignant Tumors

    • Malignant tumors are those tumors whose cells spread beyond the boundaries of the tumor. The cancerous cells spread to nearby tissues and continue multiplying there, causing destruction of the tissues and organs they invade. Unlike benign tumors, cells of malignant tumors create new malignant tumors elsewhere.

    Types of Malignant Tumors

    • Common malignant tumors include tumors of both vital and non-vital organs. For example, breast tissue is not vital, yet malignant tumors of the breast metastasize and cause malignant tumors in vital organs like the lungs or brain. Without the proper treatment, malignant tumors will most likely become deadly.

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