A 72-year-old man is diagniosed with a 7 cm primary tumor in his colon, which has spread to the liver. Which of the following features indicates that the tumor is malignant? The location of the primary tumor or The spreading of the tumor. _I think it is the location of the tumor
http://coloncancer.about.com/od/glossaries/g/Malignant.htm
i think it would be the spreading of the tumor
To determine whether the tumor is malignant or not, we need to consider both the location of the primary tumor and the spreading of the tumor. Malignancy refers to the ability of a tumor to invade surrounding tissues and potentially spread to distant sites or organs.
The location of the primary tumor alone cannot definitively indicate whether it is malignant or not. Both benign (non-cancerous) and malignant (cancerous) tumors can occur in various organs, including the colon. Therefore, the location alone is not sufficient to determine the malignancy.
On the other hand, the spreading or metastasis of the tumor is a hallmark feature of malignancy. Metastasis occurs when cancer cells break away from the primary tumor and invade nearby tissues or travel through the bloodstream or lymphatic system to distant sites/organs such as the liver. In this case, the fact that the tumor has spread to the liver suggests a higher likelihood of malignancy.
It is important to consult with medical professionals for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment options for the patient.