Tumors

A proto-oncogene is a normal gene that can cause cancer if the gene becomes mutated or if regulation of its expression goes awry. Genes classified as proto-oncogenes are found in all cells, and they…

A tumor is an abnormal mass of tissue that can be benign or malignant. Benign tumors can sometimes be ignored, reduced or removed. The growth of a tissue mass is the result of progressive…

The mastoid is the small bone directly behind the ear. Burkitt’s lymphoma of the mastoid, like all tumors of temporal bone--bone at the side of the skull--is extremely rare. Two varieties of…

Tumor markers are substances produced by the body, either by the tumor cells themselves or by the surrounding tissues as part of the body's immune system response to the tumor, according to the…

The majority of head and neck tumors occur in mucous lined areas that are open to the outside environment. These include tumors of the salivary glands, lips, tongue, sinuses, nasal cavities, larynx or…

Benign cystadenoma tumors are cystic tumors that can grow in the pancreas and contain fluid. These tumors may remain benign or may develop into pancreatic cancer. These tumors include mucinous and…

A Gbm tumor, or glioblastoma multiforme tumor, is a type of cancerous tumor that attacks the brain and spinal cord. Doctors may treat Gbm tumors with chemotherapy and other kinds of cancer treatment.…

A tumor (also called neoplasm) is the abnormal growth of cells and/or tissues. Tumors are either benign or malignant, and are unregulated by the natural control mechanisms of the body. According to…

The spleen aids other organs in your body to help prevent diseases. However, tumors can disrupt the spleen's activity and lead to conditions such as lymphoma. Spleen tumors are treatable, but your…

A hemangioma is a type of benign tumor formed from an abnormal group of blood vessels (hemangioma literally means "blood-vessel tumor"). It is often thought of as a birthmark, although it may appear…

Tumors that grow in or around the eye can cause vision problems or even host cancer. Many treatments exist to combat these growths before they can do extensive harm.

Tumor markers are chemical substances produced by certain tumors or tissues in response to changes in the body caused by cancer or other conditions. Elevated tumors markers during chemotherapy may…

Malignant and benign tumors are often confused with each other, although they are nothing alike. It is crucial to understand the difference between these tumors and be able to correctly identify each.…

Radio frequency identification devices are used for contactless identification, payment and location; rather than swiping a credit card or showing a name badge, an RFID reader picks up a radio signal…

A tumor in your inner ear is referred to as an acoustic neuroma or vestibular schwannoma. Thankfully, this type of tumor is noncancerous. Nevertheless, your recovery from a vestibular tumor depends on…

Neuroendocrine carcinoid tumors are cancers that grow from cells in the neuroendocrine system. Most carcinoid tumors originate in the gastrointestinal tract. Carcinoid tumors that cause symptoms are…

A renal tumor, also known as renal cell carcinoma (RCC), renal cell cancer and renal cell adenocarcinoma, is a cancerous disease of the kidneys. According to cancer.org, it accounts for about nine out…

Malignant is defined as a tumor differentiated by uninhibited growth; cancerous, persistent or metastatic. A fibrous tumor indicates that it affects the fibrous tissues within the body. Although…

When it comes to combating cancer, time-tested treatment options include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Doctors and researchers are evaluating new treatments for cancer, searching for better…

Carcinoid tumors also referred to as neuroendocrine tumors, originate in hormone producing cells of organs. Although they can originate in any location in the body, the primary points of origin are…

Cells undergo a natural cycle of division, growth and death. Damage to the DNA in the cell nucleus may disrupt this process, resulting in cancerous cells that grow and divide too quickly. Healthy…

The vascular system provides oxygen and nutrients necessary for tissue health and growth. Formation of new blood vessels is controlled by a series of chemical signals. Unlike normal healthy tissues,…

Cushing's syndrome occurs when your body is constantly exposed to as high level of the steroid hormone cortisol. The most common cause of Cushing's syndrome is use of glucocorticoids. While rare,…

Tumors are made of cells that grow uncontrolled and lump together. Often these cells have a gene mutation that disrupts the normal growth process. These gene mutations interrupt a process called…

All tissues, including tumors, require oxygen and nutrients for growth and survival. Tissues create and replace blood vessels as necessary, but the process is regulated by a complex cascade of enzymes…

Parotid tumor surgery, also known as a parotidectomy, is a procedure that removes tumors and drains infections from the parotid gland, a salivary gland located on both sides of your face. The surgery…

Neuromas are benign tumors (not cancerous) composed of nerve tissue. They can develop in various areas of the body, most commonly in a nerve on the foot (Morton's neuroma) or a nerve in the head (an…

Hemangioma tumors are benign tumors normally found within the face region. Benign tumors are not cancerous and usually are no cause for concern. Hemangioma tumors appear in infancy and may or may not…

Pheochromocytoma occurs in the center of the adrenal gland. Your adrenal glands sit right above both your kidneys (you have two adrenal glands). Pheochromocytoma causes your body to produce more…

Cancer treatment methodology varies depending on the particulars of each individual case, but the various options for treating cancer remain the same--chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. In certain…

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common tumor responsible for primary brain cancer; it is also the most aggressive. GBM and other primary brain cancers are rare. Treatments are available and…

A brain tumor is formed when a cluster of abnormal cells forms a mass. The mass can potentially invade surrounding tissue causing varying degrees of impairment. The effects of a brain tumor are…

Benign tumors are abnormal growths that are made up of extra cells. These tumors are non-cancerous and most are not harmful to health. These tumors develop on one part of the body and do not spread. A…

The word cancer is used to describe an uncontrollable growth of cells from any part of the body. Glioblastoma tumors occur when glial cells in the brain multiply abnormally, causing neurologic…

A cyst is a closed sac that has a distinct membrane and develops abnormally in the body. It is generally a benign form of tumor. Most cysts are problematic only if they become cancerous, infected or…

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…

Sac carcinoma tumors are solid or solid cystic-type tumors. Sac carcinoma tumors affect both humans and animals and are usually malignant. This type of tumor commonly appears in the genitourinal area.…

Ependymoma tumors are malignant cancer growths in the brain and spinal cord. People of all ages, including children, are susceptible to ependymoma. The National Cancer Institute states that around 1…

A hemangioma is a benign tumor that is formed by a group of underdeveloped or malformed blood vessels. Hemangioma comes from the Latin words "hemangio", meaning "blood vessel", and "oma", meaning…

Retinoblastomas form on the retina (the nerve tissue lining the inside of the back of the eye) of one or both eyes. These cancerous tumors occur almost exclusively in young children who have a genetic…

Acoustic neuroma (also called acoustic neurinoma, vestibular schwannoma and acoustic neurilemoma) is a noncancerous tumor that slowly grows inside the head. There are 12 cranial nerves that emerge…

Schwannoma tumors are tumors that originate inside the nerve sheath. Unlike neurofibromas that originate from cells in the sheath itself, schwannomas arise from the Schwann cells of the individual…

Tumor cells need blood to grow and thrive, much more so than even normal body cells. The process by which tumors grow their own blood supplies is called angiogenesis. A number of cancer treatments are…

Uterine tumors, also known as uterine fibroid tumors, are benign growths that can occur in several different places within the uterus. While it is not known exactly why certain women develop these…

While chemotherapy technically refers to any type of medication, its commonly accepted use is to describe cancer drugs. There are over 100 different types of chemotherapy which are used to treat…

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension, or pseudo cerebral tumor, is a condition that results when too much fluid is present in the skull, causing pressure. Symptoms of pseudo cerebral tumor resemble…

The discovery of a lump or growth in the body that is not supposed to be there can be a frightening and stressful occurrence. A tumor does not necessarily indicate cancer, however. A tumor can be…

The protective membranes around the brain and spinal cord are called meninges. A meningioma is a tumor that grows from the meninges. They are normally non-cancerous and slow-growing. Because of the…

Marketed mainly as a dietary supplement, Zeolite has been touted as a possible treatment for some cancers. But according to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, research has also identified…

The words "benign" and "malignant" are important words to understand, especially when discussing potentially cancerous tumors. As the names imply, a malignant tumor is particularly worrisome,…

A prolactinoma is a benign tumor that appears to grow on the pituitary gland. It can either secrete the hormone prolactin, or it can press on a part of the pituitary that creates prolactin. Most…