Do you want to know how cancer works? What is a malignant tumor? We explain it to you.
Cancer is a disease that affects all living multicellular organisms (with a few rare exceptions, like naked mole rats, which are incredibly resistant to developing tumors). Globally in 2018 there were more than 9 million deaths from cancer. 1 in 6 deaths globally are due to this disease.
In this article we will explain the 7 main differences between benign and malignant tumors , as well as explain in general terms what a tumor is and how it is produced.
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What is a tumor?
Our body functions as a population of organisms. In fact, all of our cells are alive, and multicellular organisms probably arose from communities of single-celled organisms, which came together to enhance their survival. Recent studies in unicellular algae demonstrate that this type of association of multicellular organisms can occur by common evolutionary processes and very rapidly.
The fact that multicellular living beings are basically a group of pieces that are alive by themselves works very well, as long as all the cells decide to cooperate with each other and fulfill their functions. But what happens when a cell, or a group of cells, decides to stop cooperating? Cells obviously don’t think and we shouldn’t attribute intention to them, but this is what happens when a tumor starts to form.
We could define a tumor as a group of cells that have ceased to comply with the established order within the body and begin to reproduce in an uncontrolled manner. This new group of cells can cause different problems in the body, depending on several factors, such as their position in the body or the “degree of lack of control” that they present.
Differences between a benign tumor and a malignant one
Talking about cancer is almost the same as talking about malignant tumors . We should not confuse the term tumor with the term cancer, since the latter implies certain characteristics that differentiate it and make it more dangerous than the benign tumor, which we will discuss below.
In general, although both cases are uncontrolled cell growth, the characteristics that differentiate them will be what make cancer a dangerous disease and in some cases, lethal.
- Do you want to know more about cancer?: “Chronic leukemia: what it is, causes, symptoms and treatment”
1. Differences in genetic material
The root of the differences between the characteristics of benign and malignant tumors is their genetic material . Cancers and tumors appear because mutations accumulate in some cells and our DNA repair and mutant cell detection systems (the latter function is performed by the immune system) are not capable of detecting and eliminating them in time.
Every day, our body eliminates cells that can potentially develop into tumors . When these cells are not detected, they accumulate mutations until the uncontrolled growth of tumor cells occurs. The cells of a malignant tumor are, at the genetic level, more unstable. This means that their genetic material is more changed than those of benign tumors.
Unstable genetic material gives them more genetic variability. This variability gives them more possibilities that within the population of the malignant tumor, mutations appear that favor the survival of the tumor, increasing its “malignancy”. In addition, it has been observed that some malignant tumors present mutations that serve to promote genetic instability , accelerating the appearance of mutations beneficial to the tumor.
2. Differences in invasive capacity
One of the most important differences between a benign and a malignant tumor is the ability of malignant tumors to colonize other nearby tissues . As a general rule, a benign tumor will not be able to colonize other tissues and will remain in the place where it appeared, even if it continues to grow.
3. Differences in growth rate
A benign tumor will usually grow at a much slower rate than malignant tumors.
4. Metastatic capacity
Another very important characteristic that differentiates cancer from benign tumors is the ability of malignant tumors to invade areas of the body far from the initial tumor. This process is called metastasis .
It is quite dangerous, since it means that the tumor cells can travel through the lymphatic system or the bloodstream to reach other parts of the body , where they will initiate secondary tumors, aggravating the pathology.
5. Ability to secrete substances
As a general rule, benign tumors are not capable of secreting substances that affect the general functioning of the body. On the other hand, malignant tumors (it is believed that in approximately 20% of cases) are capable of secreting substances that can unbalance the rest of the body’s natural functions .
We call this paraneoplastic syndrome and it can cause a huge number of different symptoms depending on the substance that the tumor secretes. These paraneoplastic symptoms can affect, for example, our skin, hormones, digestive system, nervous system, blood cells, the immune system…
6. The ability to respawn
After surgical removal of the benign tumor, its recurrence is a very remote possibility. On the other hand, in malignant tumors, the reappearance of this tumor is a reality to be taken into account with great caution. For this reason, those who have had cancer should monitor the reappearance of tumors so that, if they reappear, they can be treated more quickly and easily.
7. The need for intervention
A malignant tumor needs medical intervention, otherwise it will continue to grow and spread throughout the body. For this reason, various types of aggressive therapies (chemical, radioactive, immunotherapy…) are used to stop the growth of the tumor, or reduce its size before surgery.
A benign tumor, on the other hand, does not require urgent surgical intervention, unless its location is problematic.
conclusion
The differences between benign and malignant tumors are several, depending on multiple factors. In fact, each cancer can present different characteristics, depending on the mutations that the tumor population has .
The unpredictability of this disease is one of the most frightening factors, since it makes treatment difficult and causes uncertainty in the prognosis of the disease.
Bibliographic references
- Kukreti, S., et al. (2010). Characterization of metabolic differences between benign and malignant tumors: high-spectral-resolution diffuse optical spectroscopy. Radiology, 254(1), 277–284.
- Cooper GM. (2000) The Cell: A Molecular Approach. 2nd edition. Sunderland (MA): Sinauer Associates. The Development and Causes of Cancer.
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.
