What is a tumor? A tumor, or neoplasm, is a mass of abnormal cells that form in your body. Tumors can affect tissues, glands, organs, skin and bone.

Understanding the Context

They can be big or small. You can have a single tumor or more than one. The term neoplasm is a synonym of tumor. Neoplasia denotes the process of the formation of neoplasms/tumors, and the process is referred to as a neoplastic process.

Key Insights

In men the most frequently affected sites are the prostate, the lung, and the colon. Each tumor site and type presents its own specific set of clinical manifestations. However, there are a number of common clinical presentations, or syndromes, caused by many different kinds of tumors. A neoplasm, or tumor, is an abnormal growth of tissue that can be benign or cancerous. Medical oncologist Matthew Wright, M.D., shares what you should know about neoplasms.

Final Thoughts

When a neoplasm forms into an abnormal growth, mass, or lesion, it’s called a tumor. Unlike cysts, tumors are usually solid and firm because they are filled with clumps of abnormal cells. Neoplasms don’t always form tumors, but many do, and the two terms are often used interchangeably. A tumor is a cluster of abnormally growing cells that may or may not be cancerous. This article overviews the types, how they look, and diagnosis. The meaning of TUMOR is an abnormal benign or malignant new growth of tissue that possesses no physiological function and arises from uncontrolled usually rapid cellular proliferation —called also neoplasm.

tumor (TOO-mer) An abnormal mass of tissue that forms when cells grow and divide more than they should or do not die when they should. Tumors may be benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer). Benign tumors may grow large but do not spread into, or invade, nearby tissues or other parts of the body.