A tumour is a 'lump' or 'growth' of tissue made up from abnormal cells. Tumor is not synonymous with cancer. Both tumor and cancers are different. Tumors are divided into two types - benign and malignant. Cells that make up benign tumors are different from the cells that make up malignant tumors. Malignant cells make up malignant tumors. Tumors can be formed in various parts of the body and depending on their spread of growth and their progression into nearby tissues they can be judged either benign or malignant.
If there is a tumor in the breast which grows slowly, fails to invade in the other tissues then it is known as benign breast tumor. Similarly if there is a tumor in the brain then they are known as brain tumor and if these tumors tend to grow quite quickly, and invade into the nearby tissues and organs which can cause damage, then they are known as malignant brain tumors. The tumor on the liver can be either non-cancerous (benign) or cancerous (malignant) tumors. A tumor which is present in the ovary is known as an ovarian tumor which can be either benign or malignant, while a tumor in the prostrate is known as a prostate tumor.
Treatment of the tumor depends on the size and type of the tumor, the initial location of the tumor, and the general health of the person. Benign tumors may be removed for cosmetic reasons while the possible treatment for a malignant tumor includes surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, or a combination of these procedures.
