Tumors can be benign or malignant, with the latter growing faster and spreading to other tissues. Treatment may include surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy, and early diagnosis is key to successful treatment. Biopsies and imaging scans are used to determine the type, location, and size of tumors.
There are two basic types of tumors. One type of tumor is non-cancerous and referred to as benign. The other type is cancerous and referred to as malignant.
In general, a tumor is caused by body tissue that grows into an abnormal mass. This abnormal growth is initiated by abnormally regulated or unbalanced cell division. When tumors are benign, they typically grow at a slow rate. Usually, benign growths are harmless and don’t spread to other parts of the body.
While benign strains are usually harmless, their growth can interfere with the ability of healthy tissue to grow and thrive. In fact, they can grow large enough to put pressure on vital organs in the body, causing serious illness or death. When benign growths grow too large, they may require surgical removal for cosmetic purposes or to preserve surrounding tissue. Once removed, they usually don’t come back.
Malignant tumors grow at a faster rate than the benign variety and can cause serious health problems. They can spread to other tissues in the body and destroy them. These cancerous growths often cause death.
Treatment of a malignant tumor may include surgical removal, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy. There is often a direct correlation between the placement of the malignant growth and the treatment chosen. For example, a tumor confined to a relatively small local area may be surgically removed, while larger growths may require treatment with radiation or chemotherapy. Sometimes a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation is used. Some malignant tumors cannot be cured completely. Often, a cancer that fits this description can still be treated, while extending the patient’s life.
A patient’s chance of successful treatment or cure may depend on the time of diagnosis. In general, growths discovered early in development tend to be easier to treat or cure than those that have been left untreated for some time. Additionally, some types of malignant growths tend to spread rapidly and cause death within a short time, while others grow slowly, allowing those affected to live with them for many years.
When a person has a tumor, their doctor is likely to recommend a biopsy to determine whether it is malignant or benign. Computed tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography (PET) scans are often recommended to help doctors visualize growths and learn their precise locations and sizes. In some cases, X-rays may also be used.
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