Cancer Defined

The term “cancer” houses more than 100 different diseases caused by the abnormal multiplication of body cells at an uncontrollable rate. The human body is made up of about 30 trillion cells (30,000,000,000,000). Normally, these cells are produced and reproduced through a process called cell division. Cancer begins when genetic mutations interfere with the orderly process of cell division. After the interference, damaged cells won’t be eliminated when they should hence they will multiply yet they shouldn’t.

When these cells multiply, they form a lump of tissue. This lump is called a tumor. A tumor can be dangerous(cancerous) or harmless(benign). Although most cancers form tumors, some cancers do not. Cancers like lymphoma, myeloma, and leukemias do not form any tumors.

What is a tumor?

A tumor is a lump of tissue caused by an abnormal buildup of worn-out cells.

Types of tumors

There are two types of tumors i.e

Benign and malignant tumors.

Benign tumors: Benign tumors are a type of tumor that does not spread to other body sites. Benign tumors stay in their initial location of formation. In most cases, benign tumors are not that dangerous and when removed, they do not grow back again. Benign tumors only get complicated when they develop on delicate sites like blood vessels surfaces. In that case, they must be removed without damaging the blood vessels. There are so many kinds of benign tumors i.e Adenomas, fibromas, hemangiomas, lipomas, etc

Malignant tumors: Malignant tumors are cancerous tumors. They are very deadly and tricky. Malignant tumors are capable of moving from one part of the body to another.

Through metastasis, malignant tumors move to other body parts hence development of new tumors. The major reason why malignant tumors are so deadly is that in most cases one tumor will spread to other body parts beyond its initial location site. Cancer caused as a result of invasion by malignant tumors from their initial site of formation is called metastatic cancer.

Now you could be asking yourself how non-tumor cancers spread.

Since leukemia starts in the bone marrows where new blood cells are formed, the cancer cells quickly enter the bloodstream along the and circulation to other body parts starts.

The above explanation relates to the spread of lymphoma in the lymph nodes.

A summary for you;

What Is cancer?

Cancer is a disease caused by the abnormal multiplication of damaged body cells at an uncontrollable rate.

What causes the abnormal multiplication of cells that results in cancer?

Interference with the normal order of cell division.

What is a tumor?

A tumor is a lump of tissue caused by an abnormal buildup of increased damaged body cells.

What are the types of tumors?

There are two main types of tumors. i.e;

Benign tumors

Malignant tumors

Do Benign tumors cause cancer?

No. Benign tumors are not cancerous.

Are Benign tumors as dangerous as malignant tumors?

Benign tumors are not as dangerous as malignant tumors.

Are benign tumors capable of moving from one body site to another?

Benign tumors don’t spread from one body part to another. They stay in their initial locations of formation.

Do Benign tumors grow back when removed?

It’s very rare for a benign tumor to grow back when removed.

Do malignant tumors grow back when removed?

Malignant tumors can grow back when removed even though they might not develop in the same spot as the initial ones.

What are malignant tumors?

Malignant tumors are cancerous tumors.

How do malignant tumors move to other body parts?

Malignant tumors move to other body parts through metastasis.

What is metastasis?

Metastasis is the process through which cancer cells move from their initial site of formation to colonize other body parts.

Are leukemias, lymphomas, and myeloma malignants?

Yes. Leukemias, myeloma, and lymphomas are malignant.

How does leukemias spread to other body parts?

Since leukemias start at the bone marrow where blood cells are formed, leukemias easily gets into the bloodstreams hence circulating to all the other body parts.