Good Behaviour

Slowly growing

Grows by expansion and compression of surrounding

tissue

Polypoid / Papillae
Well defined borders
Cystic

Usually capsulated
Complications of benign tumor:
1- Obstruction. e.g. larynx, CNS Less ulceration, hemorrhage & necrosis
2- Cosmetic Benign
3- May turn Malignant
Well differentiated cells
4- May be functioning: e.g. hormone secretion
Malignancy microscopic features absent

Less vascularity

No desmoplasia

No metastasis

No recurrence after complete surgical removal

Not fatal

Intermediate behaviour

Grows by infiltrating surrounding tissues

No distant metastasis
Locally malignant Behaviour

Slower rate of growth compared to malignant, but

faster than benign

Microscopic features of malignancy present

Normal mitosis
Bad behaviour
Useful
Rapid Growing
Limited proliferation
Grows by infiltration and invasion of surrounding tissue Hyperplasia
Cell Division Cells are normal in shape and pattern
Cauliflower (fungating)
Not capsulated
Infiltrating Irregular borders
Abnormal Aimless
Malignant ulcer
Causes of death in cancer:
Monoclonal
1- Vital organ destruction Not Capsulated
2- Vital organ obstruction
Unlimited proliferation
3- Malnutrition (GIT tumors)
Marked ulceration, hemorrhage & necrosis Malignant Neoplasia
4- Cachexia (loss of body fat, weakness,
anorexia & anemia) May or may not resemble tissue of origin
Cells differentiation range from well to undifferentiated
5- Anemia (malignant ulcer hemorrhage)
6- 2ry infection (toxemia, opportunistic infection) Not useful
Malignancy microscopic features present
may be capsulated
Marked vascularity forming malformed blood vessels

Desmoplasia may occur Basics of Neoplasia Oncology: Study of neoplasm

Metastasis present
Tumor: Neoplasmic swelling
Classification of Tumors
Recurrence may occur
Invasion: spread of neoplasm into adjacent structures
Important Definitions
Fatal Metastasis: Spread of neoplasm to non-contiguous
sites

Benign - Papilloma
Definition: Extent of resemblance of tumor cell to its
Surface Epithelium tissue of origin
Malignant - Carcinoma
Epithelial Well differentiated - cells are highly similar to its
Benign - Adenoma parent cell
Generally less aggressive
Glandular
Malignant - Adenocarcinoma Definition: Cells which lose its resemblance to parent
Tumor cell Differentiation cells

Benign - Fibroma Cellular pleomorphism

Fibrous Tissue
Malignant - Fibrosarcoma Types Bizzare & giant cells

Benign - Lipoma Nuclear pleomorphism

Adipose tissue
Malignant - Liposarcoma Increased nuclear:cystoplasmic ratio
Cell morphology changes
Benign - Osteoma Hyperchromatism
Osseous (bone) Anaplasia
Malignant - Osteosarcoma Vesicular nuclei

Benign - Chondroma Microscopic criteria Multi-nucleation

Cartilaginous
Malignant - Chondrosarcoma Mesenchymal Mitotic figures
Tissue of Origin
Benign - Leiomyoma Cellular architecture changes - cells arranged
abnormally (Loss of polarity)
Smooth
Malignant - Leiomyosarcoma
Moderately differentiated
Muscular
Benign - Rhabdomyoma
Types Poorly differentiated
Skeletal
Malignant - Rhabdomyosarcoma Generally very aggressive, but often respond well
Undifferentiated
to chemotherapy
Benign - Hemangioma
Blood vessels
Malignant - Hemangiosarcoma
Vascular
Benign - Lymphangioma
Lymph vessels
Malignant - Lymphangiosarcoma

Blastoma: Tumor of primitive cells of an organ. e.g

Hepatoblastoma

Teratoma: Tumor of totipotent cells (cells that

differentiate along ectoderm, mesoderm, endoderm)