What is a Neoplasm?

Neoplasm refers to an abnormal growth of tissue caused by the rapid

division of cells that have undergone some forms of mutation.
Our body is made up of trillions of the cells that grow, divide, and die. This process
is tightly regulated one that is controlled by the DNA machinery within the cell.
When a person is growing up, the cells of the body rapidly divide, but once
adulthood is reached, cells generally only divide to replace worn-out, dying cells or
to repair injured cells.
Neoplasm describes when these cells proliferate in an abnormal manner
that is not coordinated with the surrounding tissue. These rogue cells
(neoplastic cells) cannot be controlled in the way that normal cells can because
they do not die when they should and they divide more quickly. As this
excessive growth persists, a lump or tumor that has no purpose or function in
the body is eventually formed. This is referred to as a neoplasm and it may be
non-cancerous (benign), pre-cancerous (pre malignant) or cancerous
(malignant).

Neoplas
m

Benign
-

Pre
Malignan
Malignan
t
t
Adenoma
Fibroma
Hemangio
ma
Lipoma

Hyperplasia
Hypertrophy
a
Dysplasia
Metaplasia
Atypia

Carcinoma
Leukemia
Lymphom
a
Sarcoma
Cancer

1. Benign/Non-cancerous
Forms of tissue proliferation such as skin moles, lipomas, or uterin fibroids.
Does not become cancerous and not usually life threatening (depend on its
location)
Tends to grow more slowly
Does not invade surrounding tissue or spread to other areas of the body
(mestatasis)
Caused by : exposure to radiation or environmental toxins, genetics, diet,
stress, inflammation, infection, local trauma or injury.
Adenoma
: epithelial tissue
Fibroma
: connective or fibrous tissue

 Hemangioma

: blood vessel cells accumulate in the skin or interal

organs and form a red/blue colored grow
: adipose tissue

Lipoma
2. Pre Malignant
Potentially cancerous if it is not treated
Hyperplasia : abnormal increase in the number of cells
Hypetrophya : abnormal increase in the size of cells
Dysplasia
: cells have an abnormal appearance under the
microscope and are disorganized
Metaplasia
: cells look normal, but are not the cell type usually found
in the bodily tissue or area
Atypia
: cells look slightly atypical under microscope, usually
caused by inflammation
3. Malignant
Abnormal cell growth
Capacity to invade other tissue
Capacity to metastasis
Carcinoma : cancer begins in the skin or tissue that line internal organs
Leukemia : large number of abnormal leukocyte cells
Lymphoma : cancer that originates in the immune system
Sarcoma : cancer begins in the bone fat, muscle, blood vessels, cartilage,
bone
Cancer of the central nervous system