Can a benign tumor become cancerous

The carcinogenicity of a benign tumor depends on various factors susceptible to cause genetic mutations of the cells sustaining the benign tumor. In case the patient is exposed to carcinogenic factors such as cigarette smoke or UV radiation, there is a higher risk for his tumor to mutate from benign to malignant. Also, physical abuse and abrasion can play a role in a benign tumor malignancy.

It also depends on the types of tumors: some benign tumors are more likely to become malignant than other. For example, benign tumors of the lungs are more likely to become cancerous than those of the esophagus, as lungs have higher risk of being exposed to carcinogens ( such as cigarette smoke).

The truth is, whether a tumor is benign or not, the best thing to do is to watch out.

Prolotherapy in the treatment of baker's cysts

Also known as Proliferative Injection Therapy or Non surgical ligament reconstruction, prolotherapy is a treatment method in which an irritant solution is injected into a torn/ damaged ligament, in order to stimulate the proliferation of new cells and for ligament renewal.

In fact, injury to a ligament is the most common cause of joint instability, and it may result in accumulation of fluid leading to baker's cyst/popliteal cyst. As the fluid keeps building up, the cyst enlarges and compresses surrounding structures, causing intense pain.

This is why prolotherapy targets ligaments, as it is able to strengthen the ligament and alleviate musculoskeletal pain. Areas of the body that are more likely to benefit from proliferative injection therapy are: knees, ankles, elbows, and the sacroliliac joint.

The advantage of this method is that it is a non surgical and permanent treatment for chronic pain.

According to the Mayo Clinic Doctors who first began to approve prolotherapy in April 2005, " Unlike corticosteroid injections which may provide temporarily relief, prolotherapy involves improving the injected tissue by stimulating tissue growth".

Prolotherapy is an effective method to cure Baker cysts and reduce chronic musculoskeletal pain associated with it.

Calcium channels blockers in the treatment of leiomyomas

Leiomyomas are benign tumors arising from smooth muscle ( myo- refers to muscle). They can develop from anywhere in the body, but are more common in the uterus. Leiomyomas arising from the uterus cause menorrhagia (excessive menstrual bleeding, which will result in anemia, and if nor corrected.

Researchers have developed several medications to correct this condition which might lead to infertility in women. Although some of those medications work properly, they are not really effective in reducing physical pain associated with those benign tumors.

But investigators reported that calcium channels blockers, are very efficient in alleviating pain associated with different types of leiomyomas. medications that belong to that class of chemicals include: Nifedipin, gabapentin, and phenoxybenzamine. Moreover, it has been said that botulinum toxin might have some pain relief properties for leiomyomas; but this hypothesis still needs to be verified.