There are two main types of cancerous growths: cysts and tumors. Cysts are closed sac structures that contain fluid or semi-solid material and can vary in size, though most are benign. Tumors can be either benign or malignant, with malignant tumors being cancerous and able to spread to other parts of the body through metastasis. Cancer develops through a multi-step process involving genetic and environmental factors that cause mutations transforming normal cells into cancerous ones.