Library · Neoplasm
Neoplasia
Make it clearer
Neoplasia is a mass of tissue that forms because certain cells accumulate: they grow or divide more than they should, or they do not die when they should. Picture the mass first, then consider how it relates to the boundary of the surrounding tissue.
A benign neoplasm does not cross that boundary to invade or spread. A malignant neoplasm is cancer and can invade nearby tissues or spread to other parts of the body. That is why neoplasia does not automatically mean cancer.
In brief
Neoplasia, or a neoplasm, is an abnormal mass of tissue that forms when cells grow or divide more than they should, or do not die when they should.
Neoplasms may be benign or malignant. Benign neoplasms do not invade or spread; malignant neoplasms, which are cancers, can invade nearby tissues and reach other parts of the body.
Sources (1)
- National Cancer InstituteDefinition of neoplasm
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
Updated