- What is Neoplasia
- 1. Benign tumor
- 2. Malignant tumor or cancer
- How the treatment is done
- How to prevent
Not every tumor is cancer, because there are benign tumors that grow in an organized manner, without developing metastasis. But malignant tumors are always cancer.
It is called a benign tumor when cell proliferation is organized, limited and slow, causing no major health risks. The malignant tumor, also called cancer, appears when cells proliferate in an uncontrolled, aggressive manner and with the capacity to invade neighboring organs, a situation called metastasis.
Anyone can develop a neoplasm, however the risk usually increases with aging. Nowadays, most cases can be cured by medicine, even in cases of cancer, and, in addition, it is known that many cases can be prevented by avoiding habits such as smoking, drinking alcohol or diet unbalanced, for example.
What is Neoplasia
The neoplasm includes all cases of overgrowth of a tissue, due to an incorrect proliferation of cells, which can be benign or malignant. The normal cells that make up the body's tissues are constantly multiplying, which is a normal process for development and survival, and each type of tissue has an adequate time for this, however, some stimulus can cause changes in your DNA that lead to defects in this process.
In practice, the term neoplasia is little used, with the terms "benign tumor", "malignant tumor" or "cancer" being more common to determine its existence. Thus, every tumor and every cancer are forms of neoplasia.
1. Benign tumor
Tumor is the term used to report the existence of a "mass", which does not match the physiology of the organism and can appear anywhere on the body. In the case of a benign tumor, this growth is controlled, with cells that are normal or show only small changes, forming a localized, self-limiting and slow-growing mass.
Benign tumors are rarely life-threatening, and are usually reversible when the stimulus that caused them is removed, either in the form of hyperplasia or metaplasia.
Classifications of benign tumor:
- Hyperplasia: is characterized by the localized and limited increase in the cells of a tissue or organ in the body; Metaplasia: there is also a proliferation of localized and limited form of normal cells, however, they are different from those of the original tissue. It works as a way of trying to repair the injured tissue, as it can happen in the bronchial tissue due to the stimulation of smoke or in the esophageal tissue, due to reflux, for example
Some examples of benign tumors are fibroids, lipomas and adenomas.
2. Malignant tumor or cancer
Cancer is a malignant tumor. It arises when the cells of the affected tissue have a disorderly growth, which is usually aggressive, uncontrollable and fast. This is because the multiplication of cancer cells does not follow the natural cycle, with no death in the correct period, and persisting even after the removal of the causing stimuli.
Because it has a more autonomous development, cancer is able to invade neighboring tissues and cause metastases, in addition to being more difficult to treat. The disordered growth of cancer is capable of causing effects throughout the body, causing various symptoms and even death.
Classification of malignant tumor:
- Carcinoma in situ: it is the first stage of cancer, in which it is still located in the tissue layer where it developed and there was no invasion to deeper layers; Invasive cancer: it happens when the cancer cells reach other layers of the tissue where they appear, being able to reach neighboring organs or spread through the blood or lymphatic current.
There are more than 100 types of cancer, since it can appear in any part of the body, and some of the most common are those of the breast, prostate, lung, intestine, cervix and skin, for example.
How the treatment is done
Neoplasms are treated according to the type and extent of the disease. In general, antineoplastic drugs, such as chemotherapy, and radiotherapy treatments are used to destroy or limit tumor growth.
In many cases, surgical procedures are also indicated to remove the tumor and facilitate treatment or reduce symptoms. Find out more about ways to treat cancer.
During the treatment of cancer, attention to the patient in general is also very important, taking care to reduce their suffering, especially in advanced cases and that there is no possibility of cure, with the treatment of physical, psychological and social symptoms, paying attention also to the patient's family. This care is called palliative care. Find out more about what palliative care is and how it is done.
How to prevent
Many cases of cancer can be prevented, especially those that are related to smoking, such as lung cancer, or the consumption of alcoholic beverages, such as esophageal and liver cancer. In addition, it is known that eating too much red meat and fried foods may be related to the appearance of certain types of tumor, such as colon, rectum, pancreas and prostate.
A diet rich in healthy foods like vegetables, grains, olive oil, nuts, almonds, nuts can help prevent the development of many cancer cases. Skin tumors, on the other hand, can be avoided with protection against ultraviolet rays, with the use of sunscreen, hats and avoiding sun exposure during times of greatest radiation, between 10 am and 4 pm.
In addition, from time to time, specific tests are indicated for screening and early detection of certain cancers, such as mammography for breast cancer screening, digital rectal examination for prostate cancer and colonoscopy for colon cancer screening, for example.
