Difference Between A Tumor And Cancer
Difference Between A Tumor And Cancer
A tumor is the abnormal growth of cells. Tumors can occur in any cells including the heart, muscles, skin, and even in bones.
The medical industry classifies tumors as a localized abnormal growth of cells. Tumors are benign, meaning the abnormal growth of cells stays in the area they originally form.
Cancers are also abnormal growth of cells. In this sense, cancers are tumors, but non-malignant tumors are not cancer or cancerous.
What makes a tumor cancerous is its ability to break away from the growth site, and travel to an infect tissue in another area of the body.
For instance, you can have a cancerous tumor in your colon. The cancerous tissue is able to break away from the colon and may travel to the liver and and cause abnormal growth or cancer in the liver.
In contrast, you can have a tumor in your uterus that does not spread to and infect other cells.
This is the reason for the distinction between a tumor and cancer. Cancer is much more problematic than localized tumors, because they are far more life threatening.
What Is Abnormal Cell Growth?
In the case of tumors and cancer, abnormal cell growth happens when cells don’t die when they are supposed to.
Cells are programmed to replicate new cells and discard old cells. This keeps the body healthy and delays aging of cells.
When problems arise in a cell’s programming, a cell sometimes continues to replicate (make new identical cells) without discarding and killing the old cells.
Apoptosis is the natural process of programmed cell death. When apoptosis doesn’t happen cells will continue to grow and develop into masses of cell tissue.
Learn more about health and vitality supporting foods on the Dr. Sebi Nutritional Guide. »
