Fortunately most tumors are merely lazy lumps of slow growing cells. Though benign ones may look like neighboring cells they do little or no work. Benign tumor growth can be life threatening too but in a different sense. For purely mechanical reasons these tumors can turn fatal. For example a benign tumor in brain can squeeze healthy cells and cause pressure build up inside the rigid and non expandable skull. Benign tumors called myxoma are also common in heart they can grow in size and choke the blood flow to heart.  Such benign growth called uterine fibroids is common in the uterus of women. Most of the time it causes no problem but if it grows in size it then may it may cause sever pain and bleeding requiring hysterectomy.

Benign tumors are known for bad things that they don't do unlike their malignant cousins. They do not grow fast without limit. They do not destroy the active neighboring cells nor are they metastatic to other organs. These tumors stop growing on their own and sometimes disappear spontaneously. But it does cause fear and horror when it first appears. Benign tumors are covered by an outer surface that prevents them from behaving in a malignant manner. However many types of benign tumors have the potential to become malignant. One of the most common benign growths that can turn malignant is tubular adenoma. It is a polyp in colon that is often considered as a precursor to cancer. Otherwise most benign tumors do not need any treatment at all. However if they cause any health risk to the patient then surgery is the only way to treat them as they dont respond to radiation or chemotherapy.