Which is cancerous malignant or benign

This Issue. Views 60, Citations 0. View Metrics. What Is a Tumor? Benign Tumors. Malignant Tumors. The information and recommendations appearing on this page are appropriate in most instances, but they are not a substitute for medical diagnosis. For specific information concerning your personal medical condition, JAMA Oncology suggests that you consult your physician.

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No, I do not have potential conflicts of interest. People can carry a benign tumor for their entire life without needing treatment. Sometimes these tumors will need to be removed as they could cause residual damage to the body and possibly become cancerous.

Malignant tumors are very likely to invade other organs. The term for that process is metastasize. These tumors will grow faster than a benign tumor and are more likely to destroy the organs. Malignant cells have a unique ability. Carcinoma in situ is usually treated because it has a high risk of developing into cancer. People with precancerous conditions are usually checked regularly, so they can be treated quickly if cell changes become more severe or turn into cancer.

Home Cancer information What is cancer? Types of tumours. See topics What is cancer? Types of cancer Human body Immune system Lymphatic system Blood and bone marrow Endocrine system and hormones Female sex organs and reproductive system Male sex organs and reproductive system How cancer starts, grows and spreads Types of tumours Genes and cancer Stage and grade Prognosis and survival What causes cancer?

What is cancer? Cancerous tumours. A tumour is cancerous when it: grows into nearby tissues has cells that can break away and travel through the blood or lymphatic system and spread to lymph nodes and distant parts of the body Cancer that spreads from the first place it started called the primary tumour to a new part of the body is called metastatic cancer.

Non-cancerous tumours. 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.

Some types of benign tumors such as intestinal polyps are considered precancerous and are removed to prevent them from 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. 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. Although there are exceptions—for example, although most malignant tumors grow rapidly and most benign ones do not, there are examples of both slow-growing cancerous tumors and noncancerous ones that grow quickly—the main differences between the two types of tumors are clear and consistent.

Here's a snapshot of the main ones:. Do not secrete hormones or other substances an exception: pheochromocytomas of the adrenal gland. Can spread via bloodstream or lymphatic system, or by sending "fingers" into nearby tissue. Cells have abnormal chromosomes and DNA characterized by large, dark nuclei; may have abnormal shape. May require aggressive treatment, including surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy medications. 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 healthcare provider may use several different factors to diagnose it as one or the other.