What is the difference between cysts and tumors? - Healthbiztips
What is the difference between cysts and tumors?
@healthbiztips by Arlene Gentallan | Health blog |A lump under the skin is often a cause of concern. Could it be a cyst or a tumor?
The difference between a cyst and a tumor can often be tricky. Both cysts and tumors can grow in any part of the body, from the superficial layer of the skin to deep inside internal organs and bones. Both can also vary in size from microscopic to large abnormal growth that can displace normal tissue.
What is a Cyst?
Cysts is an encapsulated sac filled with either air, fluid, pus, or cell debris. Most cysts are benign.
Take note that cysts are encased in a membranous tissue.
What is a tumor?
On the other hand, a tumor is an abnormal growth of cells that forms a mass which can either be benign (localized to a certain area of the body) or malignant (cancerous cells that can spread to other parts of the body).
Under normal condition, worn off cell die and are replaced by new cells, however, in the case of tumor, old cells that no longer effectively function do not die, but instead they keep on multiplying, forming a mass called a tumor.
Malignant tumor have the ability to form cysts.
How to know if a cyst or a tumor is cancerous?
A common concern that arise from having a cyst or tumor is the question whether or not the particular growth is benign or malignant. The only confirmatory test to determine if a growth is malignant is through biopsy, a test in which tissue sample from the growth is taken to be analysis under a microscope.
