About Us
Locations
Events
Jobs
Giving
Videos
Pressroom
Blog
Stay Connected
Patient Login
Stay Connected
Like Us On Facebook
Follow Us On Twitter
Watch Us On YouTube
Listen to Our Podcasts
Download Our Mobile Apps
Subscribe to RSS Feeds
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Find a Doctor
Home
Cancer Care
Research
Education & Training
Making an Appointment »
Glossary: brain tumor
#
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
brain tumor
(brayn TOO-mer)
The growth of
abnormal
cells in the tissues of the brain. Brain tumors can be
benign
(not cancer) or
malignant
(cancer).
abnormal (ab-NOR-mul)
Not normal. An abnormal lesion or growth may be cancer, premalignant (likely to become cancer), or benign (not cancer).
Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms
(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)
benign (beh-NINE)
Not cancerous. Benign tumors may grow larger but do not spread to other parts of the body. Also called nonmalignant.
Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms
(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)
malignant (muh-LIG-nunt)
Cancerous. Malignant cells can invade and destroy nearby tissue and spread to other parts of the body.
Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms
(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)
Print
E-mail
Share
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Download this page as PDF