What are some types of tumors and their causes?
Answers
Fast facts on tumors
Here are some key points about tumors. More detail and supporting information is in the main article.
Tumors are not necessarily cancerous.
Benign tumors cannot spread.
A premalignant tumor is one that is not yet cancerous but is about to be.
An excisional biopsy involves removing an entire lump or surrounding area.
What is a tumor?
A soft fibroma of the eyelid
A soft fibroma of the eyelid is just one type of tumor. Photo credit: Oliver Riesen
When doctors use the term tumor, they are talking generically and not about the size of the lesion.
Tumor sizes may vary enormously.
They may be referred to as masses, which are larger, or nodules, which refer to smaller lumps.
Almost any type of cell or tissue can develop into a type of tumor.
Types
There are many different types of tumors and a variety of names for them. Their names usually reflect their shape, the origin of the cell, and the type of tissue they appear in.
In general, tumors are divided into three groups:
Benign: These are not cancerous and cannot spread. A benign tumor will remain in its current form. They do not generally return after being removed.
Premalignant: A premalignant tumor is not yet cancerous but appears to be developing the properties of cancer.
Malignant: Malignant tumors are cancerous. They can grow, spread, and get worse.
There is sometimes no clear dividing line between cancerous, precancerous and non-cancerous tumors. In some cases, putting a tumor in a category can be an estimation, especially if the tumor is in the middle of the spectrum or changing rapidly. Some benign tumors can eventually become premalignant, and then malignant.
This article will look at each type, including examples and the different subtypes