Question

Explain benign and malignant cancer. What is metastasis?

Answer 1

A benign tumor is not a cancerous tumor. Unlike cancer tumors, a non cancerous tumor is unable to spread throughout the body. A non malignant tumor can be serious if they are pressing a primary nerve, a main artery, or compresses brain matter.

The word malignant is Latin for “badly born.” This type of tumor has the ability to multiply uncontrollably, to metastasize (spread) to various parts of the body and invade surrounding tissue. Malignant tumors are formed from abnormal cells that are highly unstable and travel via the blood stream, circulatory system, and lymphatic system.

Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells to new areas of the body (often by way of the lymph system or bloodstream). A metastatic cancer, or metastatic tumor, is one which has spread from the primary site of origin (where it started) into different area(s) of the human body.