Benign tumours: The forgotten neoplasms

Abstract

Benign tumours are exceedingly common neoplastic growth which, similar to malignant tumours, recognize genetic basis. However, benign tumours differ in one essential characteristic: by definition, these neoplasms do not produce metastases. Only some types are at risk of progression into a malignant lesion. Complete surgical removal is always curative. Because of their non-aggressive ‘benign’ nature and, in many cases, easy, straightforward possibility of surgical treatment, the biology of these tumours has not received much attention as compared to that of the malignant neoplasms. However, several studies have recently started to unveil the involvement of mechanisms overlapping with those of the malignant lesions, raising the issue that, by ignoring the biology of benign tumours, we are perhaps missing information vital for understanding malignancies. Only a few types have been subjects of studies comparable to that we can found in malignancy and therefore their biology is still largely unknown.