Inside your body, there are billions of tiny building blocks called cells. These cells normally grow, divide, and replace old ones that wear out. Usually, the body keeps this process well under control. But sometimes, cells start growing in ways they shouldn’t. When this happens, they can form lumps we call tumors. Tumors come in two main types: benign and malignant.

Think of benign tumors like troublemakers who stay put in one spot. They might cause some problems where they are, but they don’t travel anywhere else. Benign tumors grow slowly and are usually wrapped inside a kind of protective shell. Because of this, doctors can usually take them out easily, and they rarely come back. Most of the time, benign tumors aren’t dangerous, but they can cause problems if they press against important parts of your body, like your brain or other organs.

Malignant tumors, however, are different. These tumors are the real troublemakers because they don’t stay put. Instead, they move around the body and invade other areas. This is what we call cancer. Malignant tumors grow quickly and don’t have a protective shell, which means they can spread into nearby tissues and even travel through your bloodstream or a system called the lymphatic system. When cancer cells move to other parts of the body, they can form new tumors there—this is called metastasis. Imagine dropping a pebble into water and seeing the ripples spread out—cancer cells spread in a similar way.

Because malignant tumors move around and spread, they are much harder to treat and can cause serious health problems. Sometimes, even after doctors remove them, they can come back. That’s why finding these tumors early, before they spread too far, is very important.

So, why do tumors form in the first place? Scientists are still trying to figure that out, but they know that sometimes cells change or become damaged. Things like harmful chemicals, smoking, radiation, viruses, or even genes passed down from family members can cause these changes.  You can learn more at Cancer Academy.

Knowing the difference between benign and malignant tumors can help you understand why regular check-ups are so important.