Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
What Is a Tumor?
A tumor is an abnormal lump or growth of cells. When the cells in the tumor are
normal, it is benign. Something just went wrong, and they overgrew and produced
a lump. When the cells are abnormal and can grow uncontrollably, they are
cancerous cells, and the tumor is malignant.
If the cells are not cancerous, the tumor is benign. It won't invade nearby tissues or
spread to other areas of the body (metastasize). A benign tumor is less worrisome
unless it is pressing on nearby tissues, nerves, or blood vessels and causing
damage. Fibroids in the uterus or lipomas are examples of benign tumors.
Benign tumors may need to be removed by surgery. They can grow very large,
sometimes weighing pounds. They can be dangerous, such as when they occur in
the brain and crowd the normal structures in the enclosed space of the skull. They
can press on vital organs or block channels. Also, some types of benign tumors
such as intestinal polyps are considered precancerous and are removed to prevent
them becoming malignant. Benign tumors usually don't recur once removed, but if
they do it is usually in the same place.
Malignant means that the tumor is made of cancer cells, and it can invade nearby
tissues. Some cancer cells can move into the bloodstream or lymph nodes, where
they can spread to other tissues within the body—this is called metastasis. Cancer
can occur anywhere in the body including the breast, intestines, lungs, reproductive
organs, blood, and skin.
For example, breast cancer begins in the breast tissue and may spread to lymph
nodes in the armpit if it's not caught early enough and treated. Once breast cancer
has spread to the lymph nodes, the cancer cells can travel to other areas of the
body, like the liver or bones. The breast cancer cells can then form tumors in those
locations. A biopsy of these tumors might show characteristics of the original
breast cancer tumor.
Differences Between Benign and Malignant Tumors
Some types of benign tumors only very rarely transform into malignant tumors.
But some types, such as adenomatous polyps (adenomas) in the colon have a
greater risk of transforming into cancer. That is why polyps, which are benign, are
removed during colonoscopy. Removing them is one way of preventing colon
cancer.
It's not always clear-cut whether a tumor is benign or malignant, and your doctor
may use several different factors to diagnose it as one or the other. You may end
up with an uncertain diagnosis. Also, it is possible that a biopsy finds precancerous
cells or misses the area where the cancerous cells are more prevalent. In these
cases, what was thought to be benign might turn out to be malignant as it further
grows and develops.
If you have been diagnosed with a malignant tumor, your oncologist (cancer
doctor) will devise a treatment plan with you based on the stage of cancer. Early-
stage cancers haven't spread much, if at all, whereas later-stage cancers have
spread to more areas of the body. Determining the stage of cancer may require
biopsies, surgery, and/or imaging tests. Once the cancer stage is determined, you
can proceed with therapy.
If you have been diagnosed with a benign tumor, your doctor will provide
reassurance that you do not have cancer. Depending on the type of benign tumor,
your doctor may recommend observation or removal for cosmetic or health
purposes (for instance, the tumor may be compromising an important organ in your
body).
Fibro adenoma
Fibroadenomas are made up of connective and gland tissues. They are common in
young women between 20 and 30 years of age. One or several fibroadenomas can
occur, and they can develop in one or both breasts. Most fibroadenomas are 1–
2 cm in size, but they can grow as large as 5 cm.
Simple fibro adenomas are the most common type of fibroadenoma. They are
made up of one type of tissue. Simple fibroadenomas don’t increase the risk for
breast cancer.
A fibroadenoma is usually found as a lump in the breast. The lump feels rubbery or
smooth, it is easy to move in the breast tissue and it has well-defined edges.
Intraductal papilloma
An intraductal papilloma is a wart-like tumour that develops in a breast duct. They
are usually found close to the nipple. Both women and men can develop an
intraductal papilloma, but it is more common in women.
Most intraductal papillomas do not increase your risk of developing breast cancer.
But if there is a type of abnormal cell growth (called atypical hyperplasia), your
risk may be slightly higher. Your risk for breast cancer may also be a bit higher if
you have several intraductal papillomas.
Phylloides tumours
A phylloides tumour can cause a firm round lump. Sometimes it can cause pain.
Phylloides tumours often grow very quickly, and they may be quite large when
they are diagnosed.
The following are rare non-cancerous tumours that can start in different breast
tissues:
lipoma
A lipoma is a benign tumor made of fat tissue. They are generally soft
to the touch, movable, and painless. They usually occur just under the skin,
but occasionally may be deeper. Most are less than 5 cm in size. Common
locations include upper back, shoulders, and abdomen.
hemangioma
Hemangioma is a benign tumor derived from blood vessel cell types,
most commonly infantile hemangioma, a common benign tumor of infancy.
Infantile hemangiomas, known colloquially as strawberry marks and seen at
birth or in the first weeks of life, are most commonly seen on the skin
hamartoma
Adenoma
Neurofibroma
A neurofibroma is a non-cancerous (benign) tumor that develops from
the cells and tissues that cover nerves. Some people who
develop neurofibromashave a genetic condition known asneurofibromatosi
It’s also important to understand that most breast lumps are benign and not cancer
(malignant). Non-cancerous breast tumors are abnormal growths, but they do not
spread outside of the breast and they are not life threatening. But some benign
breast lumps can increase a woman's risk of getting breast cancer. Any breast lump
or change needs to be checked by a health care professional to determine if it is
benign or malignant (cancer) and if it might affect your future cancer risk.
How breast cancer spreads
Breast cancer can spread when the cancer cells get into the blood or lymph system
and are carried to other parts of the body.
The lymph system is a network of lymph (or lymphatic) vessels found throughout
the body that connects lymph nodes (small bean-shaped collections of immune
system cells). The clear fluid inside the lymph vessels, called lymph,
contains tissue by-products and waste material, as well as immune system cells.
The lymph vessels carry lymph fluid away from the breast. In the case of breast
cancer, cancer cells can enter those lymph vessels and start to grow in lymph
nodes. Most of the lymph vessels of the breast drain into:
If cancer cells have spread to your lymph nodes, there is a higher chance that the
cells could have traveled through the lymph system and spread (metastasized) to
other parts of your body. The more lymph nodes with breast cancer cells, the more
likely it is that the cancer may be found in other organs. Because of this, finding
cancer in one or more lymph nodes often affects your treatment plan. Usually, you
will need surgery to remove one or more lymph nodes to know whether the cancer
has spread.
Still, not all women with cancer cells in their lymph nodes develop metastases, and
some women with no cancer cells in their lymph nodes develop metastases later.
*************************************************************