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However, a benign tumor is not benign in the usual sense; the name merely specifies that it is not "malignant", i.e. cancerous. While benign tumors usually do not pose a serious health risk, they can be harmful or fatal. [2] Many types of benign tumors have the potential to become cancerous through a process known as tumor progression. For this ...
The terms "benign" and "pseudotumor" derive from the fact that increased intracranial pressure may be associated with brain tumors. Those people in whom no tumour was found were therefore diagnosed with "pseudotumor cerebri" (a disease mimicking a brain tumor).
Cancer is a group of diseases that involve abnormal increases in the number of cells, with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. [1] Not all tumors or lumps are cancerous; benign tumors are not classified as being cancer because they do not spread to other parts of the body. [1]
Lipomas are rarely life-threatening, and the common subcutaneous lipomas are not a serious condition. Lipomas growing in internal organs can be more dangerous; for example, lipomas in the gastrointestinal tract can cause bleeding, ulceration, and painful obstructions (so-called "malignant by location", despite being a benign growth histologically).
A benign tumor has none of those properties, but may still be harmful to health. The term benign in more general medical use characterizes a condition or growth that is not cancerous, i.e. does not spread to other parts of the body or invade nearby tissue. Sometimes the term is used to suggest that a condition is not dangerous or serious. [4]
Even benign cancers (those that do not metastasize, or spread to other tissues) may have serious consequences if they appear in dangerous places, particularly the heart or brain. Small bowel obstructions caused by the growth of a tumor in the digestive system is another example of a 'space-occupying' consequence of cancer.
Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. [2] [7] These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. [7] Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal bleeding, prolonged cough, unexplained weight loss, and a change in bowel movements. [1]
A tumor near the spinal cord may cause spinal deformity or spinal compression, leading to pain and loss of muscle control or sensation in the legs and/or arms. [4] These tumors may produce certain hormones, which can cause diarrhea, an enlarged clitoris (in females), high blood pressure, increased body hair, and sweating. [4]