Main Campus: Chesterfield, MO 63017 | 
Benign
"Benign" refers to a condition, tumor , or growth that is not cancerous. This means that it does not spread to other parts of the body. It does not invade nearby tissue. Sometimes, a condition is called benign to suggest it is not dangerous or serious.
Tumor
A tumor is an abnormal growth of body tissue. Tumors can be cancerous (malignant) or noncancerous (benign).
In general, a benign tumor grows slowly and is not harmful. However, this is not always the case.
A benign tumor may grow big enough or be found near blood vessels, the brain, nerves, or organs. As a result, it can cause problems without spreading to another part of the body. Sometimes, these problems can be serious.
The opposite of benign is malignant .
Malignant
The term "malignancy" refers to the presence of cancerous cells that have the ability to spread to other sites in the body (metastasize) or to invade...
-
Benign tumor of the skin - illustration
A spontaneous growth of tissue which forms an abnormal mass is called a tumor. A tumor that is noninvasive and noncancerous is referred to as a benign tumor.
Benign tumor of the skin
illustration
-
Benign prostatic hyperplasia
(In-Depth)
-
Benign prostatic hyperplasia
(Alt. Medicine)
Review Date: 2/8/2015
Reviewed By: Laura J. Martin, MD, MPH, ABIM Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Atlanta, GA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
