Difference Between Tumor and Cancer

Tumor vs Cancer
Tumors and cancers are two dreaded words that you wouldn’t want to hear. Some people panic if they find out that they have tumors. They think that they are already afflicted with the dreaded cancer. On the other end of the extreme, some people fail to get proper treatment because they think that a simple lump is not cancerous.

To clarify things, it is important to know that tumors are not necessarily synonymous with cancer. A tumor is a condition where there is abnormal cellular growth thus forming a lesion or in most cases, a lump in some part of your body. Cancer on the other hand is a degenerative condition where there is uncontrollable cellular growth that spreads in your body.

It should be noted that not all tumors are cancerous. There are benign tumors where the growth is limited to certain part of the body. When a tumor becomes malignant, then it becomes cancer. This means that the primary growth can spawn several secondary growths thus invading vital parts of your body.

You must also remember that not all cancer cases are characterized by tumor growth. Blood cancer for example does not involve the appearance of tumor. However, when you have a tumor, it would be best to undergo a biopsy in order to determine if the growth is malignant or benign.

Tumors can be removed easily through surgery and the condition will not recur. Cancer on the other hand requires prolonged treatments that may involve surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. These two conditions should be addressed immediately. However, most tumors are not life threatening while cancers are generally serious conditions that need serious medical attention.

Tumors and cancers are not one and the same. A tumor can be benign and will not develop into cancer. Cancer on the other hand is a malignant condition and the spread of abnormal cellular growth could become uncontrollable.

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