tumor

/ˈtumər/

/ˈtumə/

Other forms: tumors

A tumor is a growth — a mass of tissue — that has no function. Tumors can be harmless (benign) or harmful (malignant), but they are never any fun.

When a bunch of cells form a new growth in or on an animal, and those cells have no purpose, the result is a tumor. The word tumor comes directly from Latin word for “swelling.” Tumors can be big or small, harmless or harmful. Benign tumors are not a cause for concern, but a malignant tumor is serious and could be cancerous. A doctor must test a tumor to see which kind it is.

Definitions of tumor

1. noun

   an abnormal new mass of tissue that serves no purpose
   synonyms: neoplasm, tumour

   types:

   acanthoma, skin tumor

   a neoplasm originating in the epidermis

   angioma

   a tumor consisting of a mass of blood or lymphatic vessels

   benign tumor, benign tumour, nonmalignant neoplasm, nonmalignant tumor, nonmalignant tumour

   a tumor that is not cancerous

   blastocytoma, blastoma, embryonal carcinosarcoma

   a tumor composed of immature undifferentiated cells

   brain tumor, brain tumour

   a tumor in the brain

   carcinoid

   a small tumor (benign or malignant) arising from the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract; usually associated with excessive secretion of serotonin

   celioma

   an abdominal tumor

   granuloma

   a tumor composed of granulation tissue resulting from injury or inflammation or infection

   adipose tumor, lipoma

   a tumor consisting of fatty tissue

   malignant neoplasm, malignant tumor, metastatic tumor

   a tumor that is malignant and tends to spread to other parts of the body

   meningioma

   a tumor arising in the meninges which surround the brain and spinal cord; usually slow growing and sometimes malignant

   neurilemoma, neurofibroma

   tumor of the fibrous covering of a peripheral nerve

   neuroma

   any tumor derived from cells of the nervous system

   phaeochromocytoma, pheochromocytoma

   a vascular tumor of the adrenal gland; hypersecretion of epinephrine results in intermittent or sustained hypertension

   pinealoma

   tumor of the pineal gland

   plasmacytoma

   neoplasm of plasma cells (usually in bone marrow)

   psammoma, sand tumor

   a tumor derived from fibrous tissue of the meninges or choroid plexus or certain other structures associated with the brain; characterized by sandlike particles

   teratoma

   a tumor consisting of a mixture of tissues not normally found at that site

   adenoma

   a benign epithelial tumor of glandular origin

   chondroma

   a common benign tumor of cartilage cells

   glioblastoma, spongioblastoma

   a fast-growing malignant brain tumor composed of spongioblasts; nearly always fatal

   glioma

   a tumor of the brain consisting of neuroglia

   carcinosarcoma

   a malignant neoplasm composed of carcinoma and sarcoma extensively intermixed

   enchondroma

   benign slow-growing tumor of cartilaginous cells at the ends of tubular bones (especially in the hands and feet)

   fibroma

   nonmalignant tumor of connective tissue

   gumma

   a small rubbery granuloma that is characteristic of an advanced stage of syphilis

   keratoacanthoma

   skin tumor that grows rapidly (especially in older people) and resembles a carcinoma but does not spread; it usually disappears spontaneously, often leaving a scar

   cancer, malignant neoplastic disease

   any malignant growth or tumor caused by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division; it may spread to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system or the blood stream

   angiosarcoma

   a rare malignant neoplasm arising from vascular tissue; usually occurs in the breast and skin and is believed to originate from the endothelial cells of blood vessels

   haemangioma, hemangioma

   benign angioma consisting of a mass of blood vessels; some appear as birthmarks

   lymphangioma

   benign angioma consisting of a mass of lymphatic vessels

   spider angioma, spider nevus, vascular spider

   a dilation of superficial capillaries with a central red dot from which blood vessels radiate

   myeloma

   a tumor of the bone marrow (usually malignant) composed of cells normally found in bone marrow

   myoma

   a benign tumor composed of muscle tissue

   myxoma

   a benign tumor of connective tissue containing jellylike material

   neurinoma

   tumor (usually benign) of the sheath surrounding a nerve

   neuroblastoma

   malignant tumor containing embryonic nerve cells; usually metastasizes quickly

   neuroepithelioma

   malignant tumor of the neuroepithelium

   osteoblastoma

   benign tumor of bone and fibrous tissue; occurs in the vertebrae or femur or tibia or arm bones (especially in young adults)

   osteochondroma

   benign tumor containing both bone and cartilage; usually occurs near the end of a long bone

   osteoma

   a slow growing benign tumor of consisting of bone tissue; usually on the skull or mandible

   papillary tumor, papillary tumour, papilloma, villoma

   a benign epithelial tumor forming a rounded mass

   retinoblastoma

   malignant ocular tumor of retinal cells; usually occurs before the third year of life; composed of primitive small round retinal cells

   type of:

   growth

   (pathology) an abnormal proliferation of tissue (as in a tumor)