Neoplasm and Its Types.

Neoplasm is an abnormal mass of tissue as a result of Neoplasia. Neoplasia (new growth in Greek) is the abnormal proliferation of cells. The growth of this clone of cells exceeds, and is uncoordinated with, that of the normal tissues around it. It usually causes a lump or tumor. Neoplasms may be benign, pre-malignant or malignant.

In modern medicine, the term tumor is synonymous with a neoplasm that has formed a lump. In the past, the term tumor was used differently. Some neoplasms do not cause a lump.

A neoplasm can be benign, potentially malignant (pre-cancer), or malignant (cancer).
* Benign Neoplasms include Uterine Fibroids and Melanocytic Nevi (skin moles). They do not transform into cancer.
* Potentially malignant neoplasms include carcinoma in situ. They do not invade and destroy but, given enough time, will transform into a cancer.
* Malignant Neoplasms are commonly called Cancer. They invade and destroy the surrounding tissue, may form Metastases and eventually kill the host.

 

[Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoplasm]

What is a Benign Tumor?

A Benign Tumor is a tumor that lacks all three of the malignant properties of a cancer. Thus, by
definition, a benign tumor does not grow in an unlimited, aggressive manner, does not invade surrounding tissues, and does not metastasize. Common examples of benign tumors include moles and uterine fibroids.

The term “benign” implies a mild and nonprogressive disease, and indeed, many kinds of benign tumors are harmless to the health. However, some neoplasms which are defined as ‘benign tumors’ because they lack the invasive properties of a cancer, may still produce negative health effects. Examples of this include tumors which produce a “mass effect” (compression of vital organs such as blood vessels), or “functional” tumors of endocrine tissues, which may overproduce certain hormones (examples include thyroid adenomas, adrenocortical adenomas, and pituitary adenomas).

Benign tumors typically are encapsulated, which inhibits their ability to behave in a malignant manner. Nonetheless, many types of benign tumors have the potential to become malignant ex: Teratoma.

[Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benign_neoplasm]

What do you mean by a Tumor?

A Tumor or Tumour is the name for a swelling or lesion formed by an abnormal growth of cells (termed Neoplastic). Tumor is not synonymous with cancer. A tumor can be: * Benign,  * Pre-malignant or * Malignant, whereas cancer is by definition Malignant. The term tumor is derived, via the Old French tumour, from the Latin tumor “swelling”.

It originally meant an abnormal swelling of the flesh. A Neoplasm is an abnormal proliferation of tissues, usually caused by genetic mutations. Most neoplasms cause a tumor, with a few exceptions like leukemia [cancer of the blood or bone marrow and is characterized by an abnormal proliferation of blood cells, usually white blood cells (leukocytes)] or Carcinoma In Situ [Carcinoma In Situ (CIS) is an early form of carcinoma defined by the absence of invasion of surrounding tissues. In other words, the neoplastic cells proliferate in their normal habitat, hence the name "in situ" (Latin for "in its place"). CIS will usually not form a tumour. Rather, the lesion is flat (in the skin, cervix, etc) or follows the existing architecture of the organ (in the breast, lung, etc). Some CIS, however, form tumours, for example Colon Polyps or Papillary Cancer of the bladder as well as some CIS of the breast (more properly called Ductal Carcinoma in situ)].

 

[References: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tumor
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leukemia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carcinoma_in_situ]