What it means
A swelling or growth. The word "tumour" simply means swelling too — it does not by itself mean cancer.
Most -oma words are benign:
- Lipoma — a fatty lump under the skin
- Haematoma — a collection of blood, essentially a big bruise
- Fibroma, adenoma, papilloma — benign growths
- Seroma — a pocket of fluid after surgery
The malignant ones are specific and you would be told: melanoma, lymphoma, myeloma, sarcoma, and carcinoma.
So the ending alone tells you very little — seeing it and assuming cancer is a common and avoidable fright.
In practice
In scan reports, dermatology letters and pathology reports.
Why it matters
Look at the whole word rather than the ending. Lipoma and lymphoma are entirely different things.
Ask directly whether it is benign — that is a question with a clear answer and it is worth asking rather than inferring.
Clinically reviewed by Dr Mohammad Zubair Khan, GMC 7563469
Last reviewed
August 30, 2026
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