Important Note: some more recent dictionaries don't even include
the term cancer, and I have heard vets who won't use it due to the
widespread confusion out there, and even some vets who won't use
"tumor' due to too many assuming that any tumor is malignant.

Tumor: ANY abnormal mass resulting from the excessive multiplication
of cells; a swelling, especially that resulting from the growth of
new tissue; a neoplasm

cancer: Any MALIGNANT TUMOR; carcinoma; a carcinoma or sarcoma

malignant: pertaining to or denoting progressive growth of CERTAIN
tumors which if not checked by treatment spread to DISTANT sites,
terminating in death; a tendency to progress in virulence, cancer
is the best known example

benign: not malignant, as in CERTAIN TUMORS; not recurrent, favorable
for recovery

neoplasm: a tumor; ANY new growth, specifically one in which cell
multiplication is uncontrolled and progressive, neoplasms may be benign
or malignant

(Subsets from Saunders:

neoplasm, benign: a neoplasm having none of the characteristics of a
malignant neoplasm (see below), i.e.it grows SLOWLY, expands WITHOUT
METASTASIS, and USUALLY does not reoccur [See the notes of Dr. Bruce
Williams above in relation to why LOCAL reoccurance is NOT metastasis.]

neoplasm, malignant: a neoplasm with the characteristics of anaplasia,
invasiveness and metastasis

There are several other subsets of neoplasia in this dictionary.

metastasis: the transfer or disease from one organ or part to another
NOT DIRECTLY CONNECTED WITH IT

anaplasia: loss of differentiation of cells

Those who have the _Saunder's Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary_ will
find that this resource often provides details beyond these bare-bones
descriptions, (though certainly there also will be nuances in practise
that those of us who are not medical professionals simply won't
understand). It is a marvelous resource; I love it. If I had a rating
for refs around here it would be among the best buys. It's better than
any of my other medical dictionaries. Marvelous book: clearly written
and very inclusive; more than worth what it cost.

Sukie (not a vet)

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html

[Posted in FML 5763]