What is Tumor?
Tumor is an abnormal mass of tissue that results from excessive cell growth.
What is Cancer?
Cancer, which often refers to malignant tumor, originated from the Latin word
for crab, refers to a group of diseases caused by uncontrolled division and
growth of abnormal cells spreading through bloodstream and lymphatic systems
to other parts of the body. The spread may cause functional disturbance and
failure of the involved organ and result in death.
Nomenclature of Cancer
Tumors are divided into two kinds: benign tumor and malignant tumor. There are
two terms used to describe malignant tumors: Cancer refers to those that are
derived from the surface layer cells of an organ. Sarcoma refers to those that
are derived from connective tissues like bone, cartilage, fat or muscles. But
cancer is the most commonly used word for all malignant tumors in general.
What is Benign Tumor?
Unlike malignant tumors, benign tumors are often wrapped in a layer of membrane.
And benign tumor cells do not spread through the bloodstream and lymph system
to other parts of the body and start growing in new locations. Benign tumors
usually only cause symptoms and damages at the organs on which they grow rather
than the whole body. Still, benign tumors found in locations such as the brain
may still be life threatening. Most benign tumors are treatable by surgery.
The possibility of re-growth of the tumor after the surgery is very low. However,
some benign tumors may become malignant if not treated properly. Therefore,
early intervention is necessary. Examples of benign tumors are uterine myoma,
fibroma of breast, and lipoma of skin etc.
What is Malignant Tumor?
Malignant tumors are characterized as growing and proliferating rapidly, having
unclear margins, not being wrapped in membranes, invasive to local tissues and
organs through bloodstream and lymphatic drain. Examples of malignant tumor
of epithelium (cells of the surface layer tissues) origin are cervical cancer,
melanoma etc. Examples for sarcomas, malignant tumors from connective tissues,
are osteosarcoma, neuroblastoma, lung cancer and leukemia etc.
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