what is a neoplasm

A neoplasm is an abnormal growth of tissue that can be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous) . Benign tumors usually grow slowly and do not spread, while malignant tumors grow rapidly and invade other parts of the body. A malignant neoplasm is another term for a cancerous tumor. The term "neoplasm" refers to an abnormal growth of tissue that can develop anywhere in the body. The growth of a neoplasm is uncoordinated with that of the normal surrounding tissue and persists in growing abnormally, even if the original trigger is removed. Prior to the abnormal growth of tissue, cells often undergo an abnormal pattern of growth, such as metaplasia or dysplasia. However, metaplasia or dysplasia does not always progress to neoplasia and can occur in other conditions as well.