What term refers to an abnormal growth of tissue that can be cancerous or noncancerous?

What term refers to an abnormal growth of tissue that can be cancerous or noncancerous?

• A. Tumor
• B. Lesion
• C. Spinal Tap
• D. CT Scan

Answer: (A)

An abnormal growth of tissue that can be cancerous or noncancerous is a tumor. A tumor describes a lump or mass formed by excess cell growth, and it can be benign (not cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). This distinguishes it from other terms: a lesion is any abnormal area of tissue but isn’t necessarily a growing mass; a spinal tap is a procedure to collect cerebrospinal fluid; a CT scan is an imaging test to visualize internal structures. So the term that best fits a growth that may be cancerous or not is tumor.

An abnormal growth of tissue that can be cancerous or noncancerous is a tumor. A tumor describes a lump or mass formed by excess cell growth, and it can be benign (not cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). This distinguishes it from other terms: a lesion is any abnormal area of tissue but isn’t necessarily a growing mass; a spinal tap is a procedure to collect cerebrospinal fluid; a CT scan is an imaging test to visualize internal structures. So the term that best fits a growth that may be cancerous or not is tumor.