Contrasting Features of Benign and Malignant Tumours.
Feature Benign Malignant
I. CLINICAL AND GROSS
FEATURES
1. Boundaries Encapsulated or well Poorly-circumscribed and irregular
Circumscribed
2. Surrounding tissue Often compressed Usually invaded
3. Size Usually small Often larger
Occur less often Occur more often
4.Secondary changes
II. MICROSCOPIC FEATURES
1.Pattern Usually resembles the tissue Often poor resemblance to tissue
of origin closely of origin
2. Basal polarity Retained Often lost
3. Pleomorphism Usually not present Often present
4.Nucleo-cytoplasmic ratio Normal Increased
5. Anisonucleosis Absent Generally present
6. Hyperchromatism Absent Often present
7. Mitoses May be present but are Mitotic figures increased and are
always typical mitoses generally atypical and abnomat
& Tumour giant cells May be present but without Present with nuclear atypia
nuclear atypia
9. Chromosomal abnormalities Infrequent Invariably present
10. Function Usually well maintained May be retained, lost or become
abnormal
III. GROWTH RATE Usually slow Usually rapid
IV. LOCAL INVASION Often compresses the Usually infiltrates and invades the
surrounding tissues without adjacent tissues
invading or infiltrating them
V.METASTASIS Absent Frequently present
VI. PROGNOSIS Local complications Death by local and metastatic
complications
Feature Benign Malignant
I. CLINICAL AND GROSS
FEATURES
1. Boundaries Encapsulated or well Poorly-circumscribed and irregular
Circumscribed
2. Surrounding tissue Often compressed Usually invaded
3. Size Usually small Often larger
Occur less often Occur more often
4.Secondary changes
II. MICROSCOPIC FEATURES
1.Pattern Usually resembles the tissue Often poor resemblance to tissue
of origin closely of origin
2. Basal polarity Retained Often lost
3. Pleomorphism Usually not present Often present
4.Nucleo-cytoplasmic ratio Normal Increased
5. Anisonucleosis Absent Generally present
6. Hyperchromatism Absent Often present
7. Mitoses May be present but are Mitotic figures increased and are
always typical mitoses generally atypical and abnomat
& Tumour giant cells May be present but without Present with nuclear atypia
nuclear atypia
9. Chromosomal abnormalities Infrequent Invariably present
10. Function Usually well maintained May be retained, lost or become
abnormal
III. GROWTH RATE Usually slow Usually rapid
IV. LOCAL INVASION Often compresses the Usually infiltrates and invades the
surrounding tissues without adjacent tissues
invading or infiltrating them
V.METASTASIS Absent Frequently present
VI. PROGNOSIS Local complications Death by local and metastatic
complications
