A benign growth is basically a growth of cells that are not cancerous and do not spread to other parts of the body. In some cases, people use the term benign growth to mean a growth that does not cause harm. While this is often accurate, it does not cover all types of benign growths. There are some growths that are not cancerous, but still negatively affect a person's health.
There are many types of benign growths, but one of the most familiar may be a mole. This type of benign growth is very common and consists of brown or black tissue that looks like a bit of discolored skin; It can be flat or raised. Moles are usually not harmful, although some people do not like the way they look. A mole is actually a collection of cells known as melanocytes, which are cells responsible for pigment. Moles are believed to develop due to sun exposure and genetics.
Uterine fibroids are also benign growths, also called benign tumors, that grow in a woman's uterus. In most cases, women who have uterine fibroids don't know they have them until a doctor discovers them. However, this does not mean that they never cause symptoms and they cannot cause unpleasant health effects. In some cases, uterine fibroids cause excessive menstrual bleeding and pain. Sometimes, they can even complicate pregnancy or make it difficult for a fertilized egg to implant in a woman's uterus.
With some types of benign growths, it can be difficult to determine whether or not cancer cells are present. For example, if a person has a fluid-filled cyst, doctors can use diagnostic imaging to evaluate it. If it doesn't look suspicious, they can feel safe saying it's unlikely to be cancerous. However, on the other hand, a cyst that appears to contain some solid tissue may be more worrisome. Although they may think the growth is benign, doctors may order a biopsy to look for cancer cells; This way, they can be sure that the patient does not have a malignant or cancerous growth that just looks benign.
When a patient has a benign growth, it's usually a good idea to let doctors evaluate it. Sometimes common growths, like moles, can turn into something much more serious. After a growth is determined to be benign, a doctor may also recommend follow-up evaluations to make sure it isn't changing.