2. What is a Neoplasm?
The term neoplasm refers to an abnormal growth of tissue
caused by the rapid division of cells that have undergone
some form of mutation.
The body is made up of trillions of cells that grow, divide,
and die in an orderly fashion. This process is a tightly
regulated one that is controlled by the DNA machinery
within the cell. When a person is growing up, the cells of
the body rapidly divide, but once adulthood is reached,
cells generally only divide to replace worn-out, dying
cells or to repair injured cells.
3. Causes
There are a number of contributing factors that can cause your
genes to mutate and result in benign or malignant tumor growth.
Some common factors include:
genetics
age
hormones
smoking
drinking
obesity
sun overexposure
immune disorders
viruses
overexposure to radiation
chemical toxins
4. symptoms
Symptoms of neoplastic disease greatly depend on where the neoplasm is
located.
Regardless of type, there are some common symptoms of neoplastic
disease:
anemia
shortness of breath
abdominal pain
persistent fatigue
loss of appetite
chills
diarrhea
fever
bloody stools
lesions
skin masses
5. Diagnosing
To properly diagnose neoplastic disease, your doctor will first
determine if the neoplasms are benign or malignant. Your doctors
will conduct a thorough examination of your medical history, blood
tests, and possibly a biopsy on visible masses.
Other tests used to diagnose neoplastic diseases and cancers include:
CT scans
MRI scans
PET scans
mammograms
ultrasounds
X-rays
endoscopy