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NeuroCare Brain & Spine Center™ - Surgical Treatment Options of the Spine
What are tumors?
A tumor is an abnormal growth of cells. Normally, cells divide in a regulated
manner. If cells keep dividing when new cells are not needed, a mass of tissue
forms; this is called a tumor. There are two types of tumors: benign and
malignant.
Benign tumors stay in one place, grow to a certain size, and then generally
stop. Malignant tumors do not stop growing, and pieces of them travel to other
parts of the body, where they also continue to grow.
Malignant tumors, called cancers, are nearly all fatal if not treated. The
ability to cure a cancer depends upon patient and tumor-related features.
Patient-related features include age, performance status, overall health, and
willingness to undergo treatment. Tumor-related features include type of cancer,
site of the origin of the cancer, how advanced the disease is when it is
detected, and the tumor’s response to therapy.
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