Benign
Also known as: non-cancerous
A non-cancerous growth that does not invade nearby tissue or spread to other organs.
Definition
A benign tumour is an abnormal growth of cells that is not cancer. Benign lesions tend to grow slowly, stay within a clear capsule, do not invade surrounding tissue and do not metastasise to distant organs. Common examples include lipomas, fibroadenomas of the breast and uterine fibroids.
Although benign tumours are not life-threatening in the way cancer is, some still need treatment — for example if they press on important structures, cause bleeding, or have a small risk of turning malignant over time. The opposite of benign is malignant (invasive), and the only reliable way to tell them apart is a biopsy.
See also
- Biopsy — A small sample of tissue taken from the body and examined under a microscope.
- Neoplasm — Any abnormal new growth of tissue, which may be benign or malignant.
- Invasive — Cancer that has grown beyond its starting layer into surrounding tissue.
- Histology — The microscopic study of tissue to identify cancer type and features.
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Medically reviewed by
Dr. Rehan Abdullah
Dr. Rehan Abdullah is a dual-trained clinical and radiation oncologist with over a decade of experience treating both solid tumours and hematologic malignancies. He serves as Consultant Oncologist at INMOL Hospital and sees patients at Farooq Hospital and Healthnox Medical Center, Lahore. Read full profile →
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