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Malignant Tumor
A malignant tumor is a growth of tissue that forms an abnormal mass. Malignant tumors generally provide no useful function and grow at the expense of healthy tissues.
Causes, Incidents, and Risk Factors Of A Malignant Tumor
In general, a malignant tumor is caused by abnormal regulation of cell division. Typically, the division of cells in the body is strictly controlled -- new cells are created to replace older ones or to perform new functions. Cells which are damaged or no longer needed die to make room for healthy replacements.
If the balance of cell division and death is disturbed, a malignant tumor may form. Malignant tumors are classified as either benign (slow-growing and often harmless depending on the location) or malignant (faster-growing and likely to spread to other parts of the body and cause problems). Malignant tumors are what we call cancer.
Abnormalities of the immune system, which usually detects and blocks aberrant growth, can lead to malignant tumors. Other causes include radiation, genetic abnormalities, certain viruses, sunlight, tobacco, benzene, certain poisonous mushrooms, and aflatoxins (a poison produced by an organism which sometimes grows on peanut plants). Tobacco causes more deaths from cancer than any other environmental agent.
A malignant tumor may be more common in one sex than the other, some are more common among children or the elderly, and some vary with diet, environment, and genetic risk factors
Treatment of a Malignant Tumor
Treatment also varies based on the type of malignant tumor, whether it is benign or malignant, and its location. If the malignant tumor is benign (meaning it has no potential to spread) and is located in a "safe" area where it will not cause symptoms or disturb the proper functioning of the organ, sometimes no treatment is needed. Sometimes benign malignant tumors may be removed for cosmetic reasons, however.
If a malignant tumor is malignant, treatments include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or a combination of these methods.
If the cancer is confined to one location, the goal of treatment is usually surgical removal of the malignant tumor and cure. If the malignant tumor has spread to local lymph nodes only, sometimes these can also be removed. If all of the cancer cannot be removed with surgery, the options for treatment include radiation and chemotherapy, or both. Some patients require a combination of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.
In contrast, lymphoma is usually not treated with surgery and chemotherapy; radiation therapy may be the treatment of choice.
Learn more about malignant tumors at the Comprehensive Cancer Center of Wake Forest University. As a national leader in cancer care & research and ranked among the best treatment facilities in the country, it is one of only 38 cancer centers in the nation designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as a Comprehensive Cancer Center. NCI designation is an assurance of excellent care and comprehensive treatment options, including access to the latest clinical trials.
Malignant Tumor
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