Treatment of benign tumors

Not all benign tumors need treatment.

In many cases, benign tumors will be monitored carefully. Noncancerous moles or colon polyps, for example, can turn into cancer at a later time. But they may never require intervention.

Some types of internal benign tumors may cause other problems. Uterine fibroids can cause pelvic pain and abnormal bleeding, and some internal tumors may restrict a blood vessel or cause pain by pressing on a nerve.

If your doctor decides to pursue treatment, the specific treatment will depend on the location of the tumor. It may be removed for cosmetic reasons if, for example, it’s located on the face or neck. Other tumors that affect organs, nerves, or blood vessels are commonly removed with surgery to prevent further problems.

Watch-and-wait: If your tumor is small and isn’t causing any symptoms, your doctor may recommend taking a watch-and-wait approach. In these cases, treatment could be riskier than letting the tumor be. Some tumors will never need treatment.

Medication: Medicated gels or creams may help reduce some tumors, such as hemangiomas. Steroids might also shrink or reduce some tumors that are causing symptoms like pain or pressure.

Surgery: Tumor surgery is often done using endoscopic techniques, meaning the instruments are contained in tube-like devices. This technique requires smaller surgical incisions, if any at all, and less healing time. Procedures like upper endoscopies and colonoscopies require almost no recovery time. Skin tumor biopsies take a few weeks to fully heal and require basic recovery procedures like changing the bandage and keeping it covered.

Radiation: If surgery can’t safely access the tumor, your doctor may prescribe radiation therapy to help reduce its size or prevent it from growing larger.

The more invasive the treatment, the more recovery time will be needed. Recovery from a benign brain tumor removal, for example, can take longer. Even once it’s removed, you may need speech therapy, occupational therapy, or physiotherapy to address problems the tumor left behind.

While maintaining a healthy lifestyle, exercising, and eating a balanced diet can prevent health problems including some types of cancers, there aren’t natural or alternative remedies for benign tumors on their own.