Benign and Malignant Cancers and Tumors
Benign and Malignant Cancers and Tumors – ETHOS HEALTH CARE
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 tumor is a tumor that may invade its surrounding tissue or spread around the body.
Benign tumors
Benign tumors are not cancerous. They can often be removed, and, in most cases, they do not come back. Cells in benign tumors do not spread to other parts of the body. Benign brain tumors can be considered malignant if they are located in areas of the brain that control vital functions like breathing. Benign tumors are made up of cells that are quite similar to normal cells. They will only cause a problem if they
- Grow very large
- Become uncomfortable or unsightly
- Press on other body organs
- Take up space inside the skull (such as a brain tumor)
- Release hormones that affect how the body works
Malignant tumors
Malignant tumors are cancerous growths. They are often resistant to treatment, may spread to other parts of the body and they sometimes recur after they were removed. Malignant tumors are made up of cancer cells. They typically grow faster than benign tumors, and aggressively invade surrounding tissue. Malignant tumors are life threatening. Sometimes malignant brain tumors are referred to as “brain cancer,” though they do not share all of the characteristics of cancer. Most notably, cancer is characterized by the ability to spread from one organ to another. It is very rare for a primary brain tumor to spread beyond the brain or spine.
