Neoplasms 101: What they are and how they¡¯re treated
June 10, 2025
Medically Reviewed | Last reviewed by on June 10, 2025
You¡¯ve probably seen or heard the word neoplasm. But you may not quite be sure what it is.
A neoplasm is defined as an abnormal growth of tissue. It forms when cells grow and divide in an unregulated and irreversible manner. Neoplasm is another word for tumor.
Here, I¡¯ll answer common questions I hear about neoplasms.
Is a neoplasm the same as cancer?
No, a neoplasm is not the same as cancer. A neoplasm can either be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous).
Most benign neoplasms are not concerning, and they don¡¯t require treatment unless they are causing symptoms that bother you.
How do you distinguish between a benign neoplasm and a malignant neoplasm?
The main differentiating feature is whether the neoplasm has the potential to spread.
A benign neoplasm is a tumor that remains localized and does not spread to nearby tissues or other parts of the body. These are usually slow-growing tumors.
A malignant neoplasm is a tumor that can invade surrounding normal tissue and/or spread to other parts of the body. Malignant neoplasms often grow rapidly. Some can be life-threatening, depending on the extent of spread and whether the neoplasm can be treated.
What are the most common neoplasms?
The following cancer types have the most common sites for malignant neoplasms:
Lipomas are the most common type of benign tumor in soft tissue. They form in the body¡¯s fatty tissue. Other benign tumors include:
- Adenomas, such as colon polyps, which form in glandular tissue
- Fibroids, which are made of connective tissue and often form in the uterus
- Meningiomas, which develop in the brain and spinal cord
- Nevi, which are moles that appear on the skin
What are the symptoms of neoplasms?
A lot of times, benign and malignant neoplasms have no symptoms.
The most common symptom of a benign neoplasm is a new lump that may or may not be painful.
Common symptoms of malignant neoplasms include:
- A new lump that may or may not be painful
- Unexplained weight loss
- Drenching night sweats
- Persistent unexplained cough
- Unexplained fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Bloody stools
See a doctor if you experience any of the above symptoms, so they can determine the cause and get you treatment, if necessary.
How are neoplasms diagnosed?
You may be able to see or feel some tumors yourself, depending on their size and where they are on your body. Other tumors may be found through imaging tests when you go to the doctor for symptoms.
Benign tumors that are deep within the body are often found incidentally when someone is getting routine scans, or their doctor is looking for something else. For example, an adrenal incidentaloma is a benign tumor in the adrenal glands that is discovered during imaging when doctors aren¡¯t checking for it.
If your doctor suspects a tumor might be cancerous, you¡¯ll typically get a biopsy. This is when your doctor takes a sample of the tumor¡¯s tissue, and then a pathologist examines it to make an official cancer diagnosis.
How are neoplasms treated?
Most benign tumors don¡¯t require treatment unless they cause symptoms that affect or disrupt function. If that happens, your doctor will help determine the most appropriate treatment.
How we treat malignant tumors depends on several factors, including the tumor¡¯s type, stage and location. In general, treatment of malignant tumors can include any one or combination of the following:
- Surgery: removal of the tumor
- Chemotherapy: drugs that directly kill cancer cells in the body
- Immunotherapy: training your immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells
- Radiation therapy: using radiation to destroy cancer cells
Which neoplasms are the hardest to treat?
A cancer¡¯s stage and its location in the body play a big part in how hard it is to treat, as well as the prognosis.
Aggressive cancers grow and spread quickly. Because of that, aggressive cancers can be harder to treat and often have a poor prognosis.
My area of focus is breast cancer. Among breast cancer types, triple-negative breast cancer is one of the most aggressive.
Here are some other aggressive cancers and what makes them difficult to treat:
- Small cell lung cancer (SCLC): This type of lung cancer is strongly associated with smoking, and it frequently spreads to other parts of the body.
- Acute myeloid leukemia (AML): This type of leukemia develops in the blood and blood-forming tissues of the body. Treatment for AML can be a long process that may include a stem cell transplant and ongoing maintenance therapy.
- Pancreatic cancer: Because the pancreas is located so deep in our bodies, tumors that develop in the pancreas usually don¡¯t cause symptoms until the disease is advanced. This can delay diagnosis and limit treatment options.
- Glioblastoma: This type of brain tumor is always Grade 4, which indicates that these tumors grow quickly. It is not curable, but it can be treated to help manage symptoms.
At MD Anderson, we are always researching new ways to treat cancer. We conduct clinical trials to test new treatments for aggressive and rare cancers. This allows us to offer the best treatment to patients and help improve survival rates.
What causes neoplasms?
Patients often ask me: ¡°Why did I get cancer?¡±
Typically, all cells in our body divide. But when these cells don¡¯t divide normally, mutations can occur, allowing malignant neoplasms to form. Experts aren¡¯t sure exactly why this happens for most cancers. We usually can¡¯t pinpoint one specific reason for it, but we have made significant advances.
In general, your risk for developing cancer increases as you age. Over time, more mutations can occur, putting you at an increased risk for malignant neoplasms to develop.
We do know that certain behaviors and lifestyle choices can increase your risk for developing cancer. To help prevent cancer, we recommend:
- Not smoking or using tobacco
- Avoid drinking alcohol
- Eating a healthy diet
- Staying physically active
- Getting vaccinated against HPV and Hepatitis B
- Getting regular cancer screenings
Prevention is one of the best tools we have against cancer. We¡¯ve learned a lot in the past 150 years about treating cancer. There¡¯s still a long way to go, and we¡¯re excited to make more progress.
, holds a joint appointment as a medical oncologist in General Oncology and Breast Medical Oncology at MD Anderson. He is a breast medical oncologist at MD Anderson The Woodlands.
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