Cancer cells are violators of all the rules of cell division. One single atypical cell among millions of "decent" fellows can lead to the development of a cancerous tumor
The sequence of processes in the body that lead to cancer is complex and variable. The combination of genetic factors, environmental influences and lifestyle can transform a normal cell into a pathological one.
What is the mechanism of tumor appearance?
Our body is a unique system that maintains a balance between new and old cells. Our body is made up of countless cells. They differ in structure and function. However, regardless of whether this cell is of the heart or blood, it matures from its earlier predecessors. All cells are programmed to die on time. Their death is carefully controlled by the whole organism. The death of a cell is called apoptosis.
Division, maturation, and apoptosis are essential conditions for the life of a cell. The accumulation of tumor cells occurs for several reasons: due to uncontrolled division, due to the inability of cells to mature and turn into their highly professional offspring (they simply remain at the developmental stage), inability to die in time.
Tumors are clones. Tumor cells originate from one and recreate copies of the original cell. Damage to genes leads to disruption of division, maturation and programmed death. When the body's defense system fails, the damaged cell survives and forms many clones.
Cancer cells not only violate the rules of division, but also do not respond to all sorts of stop signals coming from our body. For example, cell growth occurs without estrogen, which is a normal condition for growth. Most cells can report that they are compressed by other cells, but cancerous cells ignore this signal and continue to multiply.
Tumors are so diverse that sometimes it is difficult to classify and divide them into groups. The causes, growth mechanism, location and spread determine the type of tumor. In this regard, tumors are divided into benign and malignant.
What is the difference between benign and malignant tumors?
Doctors refer to benign neoplasms that do not carry a great threat and have a favorable prognosis for life. Such tumors grow slowly, they do not have the ability to relapse and metastasize, they do not grow into adjacent tissues and organs. Often, benign tumors stop growing and begin to develop in the opposite direction.
However, all this does not mean that such tumors are harmless. For example, a benign tumor of the endocrine gland can cause disruptions in the hormonal balance, and in the small intestine with large sizes it can squeeze the intestinal loops, causing intestinal obstruction.
Malignant tumors, as the name implies, are extremely dangerous for the body. They are characterized by rapid growth, the ability to spread throughout the body, giving metastases, and also to grow into neighboring tissues and organs. A malignant tumor can completely remove organs and vital systems of the human body from normal functioning.
A malignant tumor does not always have a clear difference from a benign one. In this regard, separate groups of neoplasms are distinguished: locally destructive and potentially malignant. The former have all the features of a malignant, except for metastasis.
A tumor is a pathological formation that occurs when the mechanisms of cell division and growth are disrupted. As a result, its structure changes uncontrollably, unusual functions are acquired. The main signs by which neoplasms are classified are the rate of growth and development. They are divided into the following types: benign and malignant tumors. A benign tumor can occur in different parts of the body, it is characterized by slow growth. The most well-known methods of struggle: removal, drug or radiation therapy, chemotherapy. In addition, patients are prescribed a diet aimed at changing the structure of nutrition.
Symptoms that should alert a person are non-healing ulcers, nodules in the testicles and nipple, lumps under and on the surface of the skin. Sometimes the course of the disease occurs in such a way that the symptoms do not appear for a long time, and nonspecific symptoms may appear.
For the treatment and prevention of acne, acne, acne, demodicosis and other inflammatory skin diseases caused by transitional age, menstrual cycle, heredity, gastrointestinal diseases, stress and other reasons, our readers successfully use the Elena Malysheva Method. Having carefully studied this method, we decided to offer it to your attention.
Types of tumors
Benign and malignant tumors may look similar to each other, especially at an early stage, although fundamental differences can be distinguished. The difference between a benign tumor and a dangerous malignant tumor is that the first is characterized by the absence of relapse, slow growth.
A benign tumor is capable of not only stopping over time, but also shrinking on its own. But they can also do great harm to the body. For example, the presence of a tumor of the middle ear is often accompanied by damage to the structure of organs located nearby.
Different types of tumors can develop from all tissues and are located on different parts of the skin, muscles, organs. The most common types of benign tumors: myoma, lipoma (wen), neuroma, fibroma.
A malignant tumor is characterized by rapid growth, the appearance of metastases, and invasion of nearby tissues and organs. In this case, the symptoms of the disease may not appear for a long time.
Types of malignant tumors: embracing and bursting. The formation of the first form expands, compressing healthy cells by a group of patients, with further penetration through the membrane of a healthy cell. As it grows, it reaches the vessel and grows into it. Pieces of diseased tissue are torn off and carried throughout the body. Attaching to the walls in another place, they provoke the appearance of metastases. Due to the expanding growth, the diseased cell penetrates the walls of the healthy one, affecting it. Further, the disease develops, as with an enveloping tumor.
It is difficult to attribute a malignant tumor to one type or another. Therefore, a separate group is distinguished - potentially malignant tumors (outwardly they are similar to benign, but can give metastases) and locally destructive (have signs of malignant, but do not metastasize).
Sometimes the growth of tumors stops, death or decay of the tumor begins. The body begins to get rid of unnecessary formations and removes them. Decay can begin after chemotherapy or due to necrosis of individual parts, due to too rapid growth and lack of nutrition. In this case, the decay is accompanied by suppuration, bleeding, intoxication of the body. Symptoms indicating decay: septic temperature, which is not affected by antibiotics. Fasting can provoke decay.
The method of struggle is chosen depending on the stage of development, location. The most effective are chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and removal.
Causes of the disease
The appearance of tumors is associated with a violation of cellular metabolism due to chemical, physical or biological effects. The same factors can give an impetus for the degeneration of a tumor into a malignant one. A healthy cell goes through a development cycle in 42 days. Then it dies off and is removed. It is replaced by a new one, which goes the same way. When the cycle is broken, the old cell does not die off, but continues to grow. This leads to the development of a benign tumor.
It is worth remembering that benign tumors in children often appear in the form of angiomas or lymphangiomas. They can appear from birth. The size ranges from a point to half the surface of the skin. Benign formations in different parts of the skin develop slowly, do not give metastases, do not penetrate, but sort of push the tissues apart. Diagnosis of skin neoplasms on the one hand is simple, since they have pronounced signs. It is more difficult to determine whether they are malignant or not.
There are such skin tumors: pigment, epithelial and connective tissue. Among them, the most popular are nevi, melanomas, papillomas, etc. Papillomas are small growths that can be located on any part of the skin. They are grayish or dark brown in color, located above the surface of the skin. Melanoma can develop from the pigment cells of the skin. A nevus (birthmark) is a neoplasm of cells responsible for skin color. Most of them are safe, but some under certain circumstances can degenerate into melanoma. When detected early, skin tumors respond well.
Ear diseases
The appearance of an ear tumor is manifested by a decrease in hearing, secretions and occurs as a result of trauma, chronic inflammation, and radioactive exposure. Surgery to get rid of ear swelling. Ear swelling occurs at any age, regardless of gender. Ear swelling is more common in the area of the auricle, less common in the structures of the middle ear.
Middle ear tumors are malignant (squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma, etc.) and benign (glomus tumor). Symptoms that a person develops a glomus tumor: the appearance of a blowing pulsating noise, over time, one-sided hearing loss may develop. A glomus tumor is a choroid with inclusions of glomus cells. Growing in the tympanic cavity, the glomus tumor protrudes the tympanic membrane, growing into the external auditory canal. This middle ear disease is prone to rapid growth, leading to destruction of the eardrum.
A glomus tumor in the early stages of middle ear disease is difficult to diagnose. Signs of vestibular dysfunction may indicate its course. Treatment is carried out surgically (removal) and using physiotherapeutic methods (laser evaporation, diathermocoagulation). Glomus tumor poses a serious threat to the patient's life, relapses are possible.
The reason for the development of middle ear cancer can be ionizing radiation, insolation, chronic purulent infection, thermal burns. A feature is the active spread to other organs: the bony facial canal, the dura mater, the internal carotid artery. The defeat can manifest itself in the paralysis of the facial nerve.
A tumor of the middle ear can be primary or appear as a result of germination from nearby tissues. The duration of the primary stage is up to several years. Signs of damage to the middle ear: hearing impairment (feeling of stuffiness), neurological symptoms, severe pain.
The clinical course is similar to the manifestations of purulent chronic otitis media. Middle ear cancer is diagnosed on the basis of histological analyzes of tissue particles, X-ray examination, otoscopic picture.
Cancer of the middle ear in the early stages is treated with a combination of surgery and radiation. At a later stage, chemotherapy and radiation therapy are used. Prevention of ear diseases consists in periodic examination. The risk zone for ear cancer is the presence of scars after various injuries, papilloma, chronic laryngitis.
Symptoms of the disease
Each form of the disease has its own symptoms. At the initial stage, common signs are such as weakness, decreased appetite, and a general deterioration in well-being. Severe pain at the very beginning may be absent. The doctor diagnoses the disease when examining and questioning the patient, prescribes special tests and studies. Symptoms of a malignant tumor can be accompanied by severe pain, a sharp deterioration in the condition, especially in the later stages. If the formation disintegrates, then there may be spotting and temperature. Ulcers appear on the affected skin.
It is easiest to identify a neoplasm that has appeared precisely on the outer areas of the skin. They are determined visually or by palpation and are available for examination. For the treatment of skin cancer, laser, surgical, and radiation treatments are used. It is much more difficult to diagnose at an early stage the presence of a tumor on the internal organs. Special methods will help here: morphological, immunological, radiological, isotopic, endoscopic.
Benign tumor treatment
The study of the characteristics of the tumor allows you to choose the method of treatment. The main method used for benign neoplasms is surgical intervention, which can be carried out in conjunction with hormonal therapy. Removal is performed not in parts, but as a whole with a capsule (if any) within healthy tissue. Treatment of benign tumors by removal is most effective and practically without consequences. The removed neoplasm is necessarily subjected to research, which should determine the malignancy of the tumor.
Treatment of a malignant tumor
In this case, the task is much more difficult. The main methods of struggle are: surgical removal, radiation therapy, chemotherapy.
Radiation therapy for malignant tumors is based on the sensitivity of cells to ionizing radiation. Its disadvantage is considered to be extensive damage to healthy skin and duration.
One of the modern methods of fighting neoplasms is chemotherapy. Special drugs are introduced into the body, which are cell poisons or toxins of the strongest effect. Due to their action, the development of cancer cells is inhibited or they are irreversibly damaged. For diseases of different stages, there are different chemotherapy regimens. The doctor determines the order of admission and the combination of funds, the dose.
The use of chemotherapy has a negative effect on the substance of the bone marrow, hair follicles, and skin cells. Therefore, patients are very difficult to tolerate the course. The creation of targeted agents allows minimizing the side effects of chemotherapy drugs.
When undergoing a course of chemotherapy, special attention should be paid to nutrition. A mandatory diet is based on the use of freshly prepared food, limitation of fermented milk and dairy products, cabbage and raw potatoes, and alcoholic beverages. A balanced diet contributes to recovery, allowing the body to saturate with all the necessary elements and vitamins.
Chemotherapy is used both before and after surgery. Before the operation, its purpose: to stop the growth and spread of the neoplasm, to reduce its size, to prevent metastases. Application after surgery is aimed at destroying residues that have not been removed by the surgeon. The severity of the disease and the type of formation affect the duration and frequency of chemotherapy. The procedure for the introduction of chemotherapy drugs is carried out using a dropper, or when taking pills. The appearance of pronounced side reactions of the body during chemotherapy, unfortunately, is a common phenomenon. Most often, chemotherapy is accompanied by baldness, nausea, vomiting, a decrease in red blood cells in the patient's blood, and a deterioration in general condition. In addition, both the disease itself and the need to undergo chemotherapy have a strong impact on the psychological state of the patient.
All neoplasms in the human body are divided into malignant and benign. The last group of pathologies is considered the most favorable, as it is characterized by a slow course and a low degree of aggressiveness. A benign tumor can affect different organs and take different forms.
The concept of pathology and its difference from malignant diseases
Benign tumors are neoplasms that form from actively dividing cells. Under the influence of any factors, the process of reproduction and growth of cellular structures is disrupted, they begin to divide intensively and form a build-up.
It is very important in the process of diagnosing a disease to distinguish a benign tumor from a malignant one. They have a low degree of aggressiveness, grow slowly, and do not metastasize. While malignant neoplasms rapidly increase in size, secondary lesions spread throughout the body.
Benign tumors generally have easy mobility; they do not attach to tissues and do not grow in them. When pressing on the formation, soreness or any other discomfort occurs. Malignant growths on palpation are usually painless.
A benign neoplasm can degenerate into cancer if not treated. In the absence of proper therapy, cell mutation becomes more active, and they acquire a malignant course.
Causes
Cell division disorders do not just happen. This requires the impact of adverse factors on the body. There are many phenomena that can provoke the development of a tumor process. These include:
- Work in hazardous production.
- Smoking, alcohol abuse, drug use.
- The effect on the body of radiation or ultraviolet radiation.
- Hormonal imbalance.
- Weakening of the immune system.
- Viral pathologies.
- Damage to soft tissues.
- Improper nutrition.
- Sleep problems.
Scientists believe that all people have a predisposition to the development of tumor diseases. However, not everyone has them. Those who avoid the influence of the above factors can reduce the risk of tumors.
Views
A benign tumor is of different types and can form in any organ. Doctors distinguish the following types of formations:
- Cyst. It is a capsule with a liquid inside. Formed most often from fibrous tissue.
- Adenoma. It develops from glandular cells. Affects mainly the prostate, liver, adrenal glands, intestines.
- Myoma. It is a dense, benign tumor of muscle tissue that occurs in the reproductive organs of women.
- Papilloma. It appears as a result of the penetration of the human papillomavirus into the body. The growth has a small papilla, formed from the skin and mucous membranes. Such a pathology is often diagnosed in the area of the external genital organs.
- Neuroma. A tumor develops from nerve cells due to trauma and removal of the nerve.
- Angioma. A build-up is formed from the tissues of the blood vessels.
- Osteoma. Such formations affect bone tissue and are often congenital.
- Fibroma. Arises from connective tissue, affects mainly the genitals in women.
- Lipoma. A build-up is formed from the fat layer, outwardly resembles a capsule.
- Lymphangioma. This neoplasm affects the tissues of the lymphatic system.
- Mole. They are flat or hanging. Have a high risk of malignant transformation from exposure to sunlight or damage.
- Meningioma. A tumor arises from the cells of the brain or spinal cord.
There are quite a few varieties of benign pathologies. Each of them has its own characteristics of the course and requires an individual approach to treatment.
Diagnostics
Laboratory and instrumental methods are used to detect tumors. These include:
- External examination by a doctor and palpation of the affected area.
- Laboratory analysis of blood and urine.
- Ultrasound procedure.
- Laparoscopic diagnostics.
- Computed and magnetic resonance imaging.
- Radiography.
To determine which course the tumor has: malignant or benign, a biopsy with histological examination is required.
Treatment activities
Modern medicine considers the most effective way to treat benign tumors is surgical removal. In the process, the doctor removes the neoplasm, which allows the patient to completely get rid of the pathology. Sometimes re-intervention is required if all affected cells have not been eliminated.
Removal of a benign tumor is carried out not only in the usual way, but also using a laser or freezing. Laser therapy evaporates mutated tissues, and cryodestruction freezes cells with liquid nitrogen, which has a low temperature.
These treatments are considered the safest compared to conventional surgery. Their advantages are as follows:
- Minimal impact on the body.
- Low likelihood of relapse.
- Simplicity of the procedure.
- No scarring, cutting or bleeding.
Hormone therapy is also used in the fight against benign formations. It is used provided that the tumor is a hormone-dependent pathology.
Prophylaxis
To prevent the occurrence of benign tumors, doctors recommend leading a healthy lifestyle, eating rationally, sleeping well, observing a work and rest regimen, giving up bad habits, and avoiding stressful situations.
You must always monitor your health, treat any diseases in a timely manner, and keep hormones under control. If we talk about neoplasms of the reproductive system, then to the indicated preventive measures are added the rejection of promiscuous sexual life, the observance of personal hygiene, and the prevention of abortion.
First of all, when a patient receives information that he has a tumor somewhere, he wants to know its good quality. Not everyone knows that a benign neoplasm is not cancer and does not apply to it in any way, but you should not relax either, since in many cases even this tumor can develop into a malignant one.
At the diagnostic stage, as soon as a neoplasm has been identified, it is necessary to find out its malignancy. Such formations differ in the prognosis for the patient and the course of the disease itself.
Many people confuse benign and malignant tumors, although these are completely different cancers. They may be similar only in that they come from the same cellular structures.
Malignant tumor
Malignant tumors include neoplasms that begin to grow uncontrollably, and the cells are very different from healthy ones, do not fulfill their function and do not die.
Views
| Variety | Description |
| Cancer | It occurs in the process of disruption of healthy epithelial cells. They are found almost everywhere on the skin and inside organs. This is the outermost shell, which is constantly renewed, grows and is subject to external factors. Immunity controls the process of differentiation and division. If the process of cell reproduction is disrupted, then a neoplasm may appear. |
| Sarcoma | They grow from connective tissue: tendons, muscles, fat, vascular walls. A rarer pathology than cancer, but it proceeds faster and more aggressively. |
| Glioma | It arises and grows from glial nervous system cells in the brain. Headache and dizziness appear. |
| Leukemia | Or blood cancer affecting the hematopoietic system. It originates in stem cells in the bone marrow. |
| Teratoma | It occurs with mutation of embryonic tissues, in intrauterine development. |
| Nerve tissue formation | Formations begin to grow from nerve cells. Belong to a separate group. |
| Lymphoma | It appears from the lymphatic tissue, due to which the body becomes more vulnerable to other diseases. |
| Choriocarcinoma | From placental cells. It occurs only in women from the ovaries, uterus, etc. |
| Melanoma | Skin cancer is called in another way, although this is not entirely true. The neoplasm grows out of melanocytes. Rebirth often comes from nevi and birthmarks. |
Signs and features
- Autonomy- mutation occurs at the gene level when the main cell cycle is disrupted. And if a healthy cell can divide a limited number of times, and then dies, then a cancerous cell can divide indefinitely. Under favorable conditions, it can exist and be immortal, give countless numbers of its own kind.
- Atypia- the cell becomes different from healthy at the cytological level. A large nucleus appears, the internal structure and the established program change. In benign ones, they are very close in structure to normal cells. Malignant cells completely change their functions, metabolism and sensitivity to certain hormones. Such cells usually transform even more in the process and adapt to the environment.
- Metastases- Healthy cells have a thicker intercellular layer, which clearly holds them and prevents them from moving. In malignant cells, at a certain point, more often at 4 stages of the development of education, they break off and are carried along the lymphatic and blood systems. The metastases themselves, after travel, settle in organs or lymph nodes and begin to grow there, affecting the nearest tissues and organs.
- Invasion- such cells have the ability to grow into healthy cells, destroy them. In doing so, they also release toxic substances, waste products that help cancer growth. In benign formations, they do not damage, but simply, as a result of growth, they begin, as it were, to push back healthy cells, squeezing them.
Carcinoma and other malignant pathologies begin to grow rather quickly, grow into the nearest organ, affecting local tissues. Later, at stages 3 and 4, metastasis occurs and the cancer spreads throughout the body, affecting both organs and lymph nodes.
There is also such a concept as differentiation, the rate of growth of education also depends on it.
- Highly differentiated cancer is slow and not aggressive.
- Moderately differentiated cancer - average growth rate.
- Undifferentiated cancer is a very fast and aggressive cancer. Very dangerous for the patient.
Common Symptoms
The first symptoms of a malignant tumor are very vague, and the disease is very secretive. Often, at the first symptoms, patients confuse them with common diseases. It is clear that each neoplasm has its own symptoms, which depend on the location and stage, but we will tell you about the general ones.
- Intoxication - the tumor releases a huge amount of waste products and additional toxins.
- Due to intoxication, headaches, nausea, and vomiting occur.
- Inflammation - occurs due to the fact that the immune system begins to fight against atypical cells.
- Weight Loss - Cancer consumes a lot of energy and nutrients. Also, against the background of intoxication, appetite decreases.
- Weakness, pain in bones, muscles.
- Anemia.
Diagnostics
Many are worried about the question: "How to define a malignant tumor?" For this, the doctor conducts a series of examinations and analyzes, where already at the last stage, either a malignant or benign formation is detected.
- An initial examination and questioning of the patient is carried out.
- A general and biochemical blood test is prescribed. You can already see some deviations on it. An increased number of leukocytes, ESR, and other indicators may indicate oncology. A test for tumor markers may be prescribed, but this is rarely done during screening.
- Ultrasound- according to the symptoms, the place of localization is identified and an examination is done. A slight seal and size can be seen.
- MRI, CT- at later stages, it is possible to see malignancy on this examination if the cancer grows into the nearest organs and affects other tissues.
- Biopsy- the most accurate method to determine, even at stage 1, malignancy. A piece of education is taken for histological examination.
First, a complete diagnosis is carried out, and then treatment is prescribed, depending on the localization, the affected organ, the stage, damage to the nearest organs and the presence of metastases.
Benign tumor
Let's still answer the frequently asked question: "Is a benign tumor cancer or not?" - No, such neoplasms most often have a favorable prognosis and almost one hundred percent recovery from the disease. Of course, here you need to take into account the localization and degree of tissue damage.
At the cytological level, cancer cells are almost identical to healthy ones. They also have a high degree of differentiation. The main difference from cancer is that such a tumor is located inside a certain tissue capsule and does not affect the nearest cells, but can strongly squeeze the neighboring ones.
Signs and difference with malignant conformation
- A large collection of cells.
- Incorrect fabric construction.
- Low likelihood of relapse.
- They do not grow into nearby tissues.
- Does not emit toxins and poisons.
- Do not violate the integrity of nearby tissues. And it is in the localization of its cellular structure.
- Slow growth.
- The ability to malignancy - turning into cancer. Especially dangerous for: polyps of the gastrointestinal tract, papillomas of the reproductive system, nevi (moles), adenomas, etc.
Benign lesions are not treated with chemotherapy with chemotherapy, nor are they irradiated. Surgical removal is usually used, it is quite simple to do this, since the formation itself is within the same tissue and is divided by a capsule. If the tumor is small, it can be treated with medication.
Stages of development of a benign tumor
- Initiation- there is a mutation of one of two genes: reproduction, immortality. With a malignant tumor, two mutations occur at once.
- Promotion- there are no symptoms, cells are actively multiplying and dividing.
- Progression- The tumor becomes large and begins to press on the adjacent walls. May turn malignant.
Types of tumors
Usually, the division by type comes from the tissue structure, or rather from what type of tissue the tumor originated: connective tissue, tissue, adipose, muscle, etc.
Mesenchyme
- Vascular neoplasia - vascular sarcomas, hemangiomas, lymphangiomas.
- Connective tissue neoplasms - fibrosarcoma, fibroma.
- Bone formations - osteosarcomas, osteomas.
- Muscle tumors - myosarcoma, rhabdomyoma, leiomyoma.
- Fatty neoplasia - liposarcoma, lipoma.
Appearance
The tumors themselves can have a different appearance, usually malignant neoplasms and cancer have a chaotic accumulation of cells and tissues in the form of a fungus, cabbage, with masonry and a rough surface, with bumps and nodules.
When growing into adjacent tissues, suppuration, hemorrhages, necrosis, mucus, lymph and blood may appear. Tumor cells feed on the stroma and parenchyma. The lower the differentiation and the more aggressive the neoplasm, the fewer these components and the more atypical cells.
Risk factors
The exact cause of both benign and malignant tumors has not yet been clarified. But there are several assumptions:
- Alcohol.
- Smoking.
- Improper nutrition.
- Ecology.
- Radiation.
- Obesity.
- Viruses and infectious diseases.
- Genetic predisposition.
- HIV and immune diseases.
Output
A cancerous tumor or any malignant neoplasm is able to pretend to be one of its own in the eyes of the immune system, to avoid any attacks of leukocytes and adapt to any microclimate inside the body. That is why it is very difficult to fight it.
Many scientists believe that in the early stages, during the growth of the tumor, the cancer secretes painkillers into the nearest cells to hide its presence. Then the patient discovers a pathology at 3 or even 4 stages, when it is no longer possible to cure the disease.
"Is it benign or malignant?" is an issue that too many people are haunted by when they wait for a doctor's appointment, scan results or biopsy.How are these two terms defined?
How are they similar and what are the differences between benign and malignant tumors?In the article:
- Major differences between benign and malignant tumors
- What are benign versus malignant tumors characterized by?
- How do you know if a tumor is benign or malignant?
- What are benign and malignant tumors?
Review of neoplasms
The term "benign" is used to describe both medical conditions and tumors and usually refers to a process that is not particularly dangerous.
How to distinguish a malignant tumor from a benign one?
Many people want to know how to distinguish a malignant tumor from a benign andWhat is a benign tumor?
For example, a benign high blood pressure refers to an increase in blood pressure that is not dangerous, while a benign murmur (also called an innocent heart murmur) is a heart murmur that probably causes very few disease-related problems or has very low potential. for death.
A benign tumor or mass is one that can be unpleasant but usually does not lead to death, although there are exceptions, which we will discuss below.
Uterine fibroids is a common, benign tumor that often occurs in women who are premenopausal. Benign tumors grow locally but cannot spread to other areas of the body. However, if growth occurs in an enclosed space, such as the skull, or in areas of the body where their presence can damage vital organs, they can be dangerous.
What is a malignant tumor or which tumors are malignant?
The term "malignant tumor" is often used interchangeably with the word "dangerous" in medicine. While this usually refers to a cancerous tumor, it can be used to describe other diseases.
For example, malignant hypertension (malignant high blood pressure) refers to blood pressure that is dangerously high, while malignant tumors (cancers) are those that can spread to other areas of the body, either locally, through the bloodstream, or through the lymphatic system, doctors may use the term "malignant course" to describe a disease process that has many complications.
Signs of a malignant tumor
Malignant tumor or - a tumor that can spread to other areas of the body.Although the term “benign” usually means less dangerous and less malignant, this distinction is not always made. For example, malignant basal skin cancer has a 99.9% survival rate and little tissue damage (small scar), while some benign brain tumors have a lower survival rate or significantly greater disability due to their presence or surgery to remove them.
Let's look at some of the characteristics by which malignant and benign tumors are similar and find multiple differences between them.
Similarities Between Malignant and Benign Tumors
Some of the similarities between malignant and benign tumors include:
- Both can grow quite large. Size alone does not differentiate between these types of tumors. In fact, benign ovarian tumors over a hundred pounds have been removed. (In contrast, pancreatic cancer can be quite small.)
- Both can be dangerous at times. Although benign tumors are generally more unpleasant, they can be life-threatening in some cases. An example is benign brain tumors. When these tumors grow in a confined space in the brain, they can pressurize and destroy other structures in the brain, leading to paralysis, speech problems, seizures, and even death. Some benign tumors, such as benign pheochromocytomas, secrete, which can also cause life-threatening symptoms.
- Both can be repeated locally. If cells are left after the operation, both benign and malignant tumors may appear later in the area of the original tumor, because malignant tumor cells are difficult to remove completely.
Differences between malignant and benign tumors
There are many important differences between benign and malignant tumors. Some of these include:- Growth rate... In general, malignant tumors grow much faster than benign tumors, but there are exceptions. Some malignant (cancerous) tumors grow very slowly, while some benign tumors grow rapidly.
- The ability to metastasize- Benign tumors expand locally, while malignant tumors can spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body through the bloodstream and lymphatic channels.
- Relapse site... Although benign tumors can recur locally, that is, near the site of the original tumors, malignant tumors can recur in distant sites such as the brain, lungs, bones, and liver, depending on the type of cancer.
- Stickiness»- cells in benign tumors produce chemicals (adhesion molecules) that make them stick together. Malignant tumor cells do not produce these molecules and can break off and "float away" to other areas of the body.
- Tissue invasion... Typically, malignant tumors tend to invade nearby tissues, whereas benign tumors do not (although they can enlarge and wreak havoc on nearby organs by putting pressure on them). A very simple way to think about this is to imagine a benign tumor as having a wall or border (literally, the fibrous sheath surrounding the tumor). This border allows the tumor to expand and displace nearby tissues to the side, but prevents the tumor from invading nearby tissues. In contrast, cancer behaves like "fingers" or "tentacles" that can invade nearby tissues. In fact, the Latin word for cancer comes from the word crab, used to describe the crab-like or finger-like projections of cancerous tumors into the surrounding tissue.
- Cell appearance... Under the microscope, cells that are benign often differ significantly from those that are malignant. One of these differences is that the cell nucleus of cancer cells is often larger and appears darker due to its abundance.
- Effective... Benign tumors are usually removed with surgery, while malignant (malignant) tumors often require chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, or immunotherapy. These additional procedures are needed to try to reach cancer cells that have spread outside the tumor area or remain after tumor surgery.
- The likelihood of relapse- benign tumors rarely recur after surgery, while malignant tumors recur much more often. Surgery to remove a malignant tumor is more difficult than surgery for a benign tumor. Using the finger-like analogy above for cancer, it is much easier to remove a tumor that has a clear fibrous border than a tumor that has invaded the surrounding tissue with these finger-like projections. If, during surgery, cells are left from these fingers, the tumor is more likely to return.
- Systemic Effects... Malignant tumors are more likely to have a "systemic" or general effect than benign tumors. Due to the nature of these tumors, symptoms such as weight loss are common. Certain types of cancer also release substances that cause effects in the body beyond those caused by the original tumor. An example of this is paraneoplastic syndrome, caused by some cancers, resulting in a wide range of physical symptoms from hypercalcemia (elevated blood calcium levels) to Cushing's (which in turn causes symptoms such as face roundness, stretch marks, and weakened bones).
- The death toll- benign tumors cause about 13,000 deaths a year in the United States. The number of deaths that can be attributed to malignant (cancerous) tumors is more than 575,000.
Areas of doubt
There are times when it is difficult to determine if a tumor is benign or malignant, and it can be very confusing and intimidating if you are the one living with one of these tumors. Doctors often distinguish between cancerous and non-cancerous tumors under a microscope, and sometimes the differences are very subtle. Sometimes doctors must use other clues, such as where the tumor is located, its growth rate, and other data, to try to make this distinction.
In addition, some benign tumors can become malignant over time. Some benign tumors very rarely become malignant tumors, while other benign tumors often become malignant tumors. An example of this is adenomatous polyps (adenomas) in the colon. By themselves, they are benign and not dangerous. But over time, they can develop into colon cancer. Removal of these polyps is a recommendation to reduce the risk of colon cancer (adenocarcinoma). For people over 50, it is a recommendation to have a colonoscopy.
Another confusion is that often normal cells, precancerous cells, and cancerous cells coexist in the same tumor. Depending on where the biopsy is taken, it may not pick up a sample that represents the entire tumor; For example, a biopsy can only affect an area of precancerous cells in a tumor that is otherwise malignant.
Other terms that can mislead this concept include:
- Tumor: A tumor refers to a growth that can be either benign or malignant. It is, in fact, tissue growth that does not serve any beneficial purpose for the body and may instead be harmful.
- Weight: The mass can also be benign or malignant. In general, the term mass is used to describe a height that is greater than or equal to 3 cm (1 ½ inches) in diameter.
- Knot: The node can also be either benign or malignant. In general, the term knot is used to describe growths that are less than or equal to 3 cm (1 ½ inches) in diameter.
- Neoplasm: Literally translated as “new tissue,” the term “neoplasm” is commonly used synonymously with the term “tumor,” and these growths can be either benign or malignant.
- Defeat- the term defeat - often used by doctors - can be misleading to people. This term can mean a benign or malignant tumor or something "abnormal" in the human body, even a rash from a mosquito bite.
Stages of malignant tumors
What are precancerous cells and are they able to?When distinguishing between benign and malignant tumors, you may wonder where the precancerous cells are and where the carcinoma is "able". A precancerous cell has characteristics somewhere between the two, but it is not yet a cancerous cell. Some of these cells can become cancer cells and some do not. In contrast, in situ (CIN) carcinoma is cancer, but in the case of CIN, cancer cells do not spread across the basement membrane. In other words, this cancer is not invasive. Carcinoma in situ can be called stage 0 (stages I-IV cancers are invasive, meaning they have spread across this basement membrane).
Understanding cancer cells
What is a Cancer Cell? What are the differences between cancer cells and normal cells? Fortunately, scientists are learning a lot about these questions and finding answers that will help us treat cancer more accurately and with fewer side effects in the coming years.Tumor naming
How to tell if a tumor is benign or malignant by name? True, it is not always possible to know whether a tumor is malignant, given its name. In general, cancers include the type of cells included in the tumor, in addition to location. There are several different types of cancer, but the most common are carcinomas, which start in epithelial cells (and account for 85 percent of cancers) and sarcomas, which are cancers of mesothelial cells.Can be understood using the distinction:
Osteoma would be a benign bone tumor, whereas osteosarcoma would be a malignant bone tumor.
Lipoma would be a benign tumor from adipose tissue, but a cancerous tumor would be liposarcoma.
Adenoma would be a benign tumor, but adenocarcinoma, a malignant tumor.
There are exceptions to this general rule, for example melanoma, a tumor formed by cancerous melanocytes is a malignant tumor.
Loading ...