What is Neoplasia When You Have Cancer

By Craig Stephany

Neoplasia is the uncontrolled disorderly proliferation of cells resulting in a benign or malignant tumor or neoplasm.

Malignant tumors are divided among carcinomas, sarcomas, and teratomas. Carcinomas are subdivided into squamous cell carcinomas (from stratified squamous), transitional cell carcinoma (from urinary tract epithelium) and adenocarcinoma (of glandular epithelium). Sarcomas are subdivided into osteosarcoma (from the bones), chonrosarcoma (from cartilages), liposarcoma (from fatty tissues), rhabdomyosarcoma (from striated muscles), and leiomyosarcoma (from smooth muscles). Teratoma is neoplasm derived from all three germ cell layers. Cancer is associated with malignant tumors and not benign tumors. However, some benign tumors may be pre-cancerous.

People at risk of certain cancers may wonder what lung cancer is. What is colon cancer? What is prostate cancer? Or what is breast cancer? The common denominator for all cancers is the fact that the problem or disease originates from the basic unit of life which is the cell.

The location of abnormality in the reproduction and proliferation of cells determines the kind of cancer. The reason why different cancer types are developed is because abnormality of cell reproduction and proliferation may occur in different parts of the body. There are common cancers with information widely available due to occurrence. There are also very rare types of cancer.

Carcinogenesis or oncogenesis are terms pertaining to the development of cancer. The process involves initiation, promotion, progression, and metastasis. Initiation occurs when proto-oncogenes are turned on anytime after embryonic life. Carcinogens are considered responsible in changing the activity of the cells genes. Promotion occurs when a normal cell that has been initiated by a carcinogen is enhanced to develop into a cancer cell.

Progression refers to the development of the tumor of its own blood supply by production of tumor. Metastasis occurs when cancer cells move from the primary location to establish themselves in distant locations apart from its area of origin. - 30533

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