Learn about whether a tumorous fibroid in your uterus is considered cancerous or benign.
Since fibroids are tumorous, does that mean that they are cancerous?
Uterine Fibroids, or as they are sometimes called, Uterine Fibroid tumors, are benign (non-cancerous) growths in the uterus of a woman. They usually occur in the uterus of women between the ages of 30 and 50, but can come about sooner or later than the indicated age range. Contrary to the common association between “tumors” and “cancerous tissue”, fibroid tumors are not cancerous.
A tumor, by definition, is described as an abnormal new mass of tissue that serves no purpose. This “abnormal mass of tissue” can be either benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). A benign tumor is a tumor that lacks all three of the malignant, or cancerous, properties of a cancer. Therefore, a benign tumor does not: grow in an unlimited, aggressive manner, does not invade surrounding tissue, and does not spread throughout the body (metastasize). In the case of fibroid tumors, they are benign and therefore, not cancerous. The Fibroid tumors are solid tumors made of fibrous tissue. Most often, fibroids occur as multiple tumor masses which are slow-growing and often cause no symptoms.
The term “benign” implies a mild and non progressive disease that are often harmless to the health. However, some benign fibroids that lack the invasive properties of a cancer may still produce negative health effects. Therefore, if you experience any symptoms related to fibroid growth that you feel are impeding on your daily activities, we suggest that you consult your physician, or give us a call at 866-362-6463.
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