1. Neoplasia part 1: definition, how it relates to cancer

1. Neoplasia: what is neoplasia? How does it relate to cancer?

The successful function of multicellular organisms relies on the co-ordination and co-operation of all of the cells in the body. As part of this deal, division of cells is very tightly controlled, and only occurs when cells are permitted to. Unfortunately, this process is prone to error.

This video shows that Neoplasms, or 'new growths' (also known as tumours) when a cell begins to divide at a faster rate, and not co-ordinated with it's surrounding tissue, and continues to grow even when the stimulus that brought about that change has gone.

These neoplasms (new growths, AKA tumours) do not support the function of the organism as a whole and can often be detrimental.

Neoplasms are divided into two camps: benign and malignant, according to how they behave. The main difference is that malignant neoplasms invade their surrounding tissue, and can spread and form tumours in other parts of the body (metastasis).

Cancer is a more commonly used term to describe malignant neoplasms.

Part 2 of the series outlines in more detail the difference between benign and malignant neoplasms:    • 2. Neoplasia part 2: Differences betw...  

References:
Kumar, V., & Robbins, S. L. 1. (2007). Robbins basic pathology (8th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Saunders/Elsevier