A solid tumour is an abnormal mass of tissue that usually does not contain cysts or liquid areas. Solid tumours may be benign (not cancer), or malignant (cancer). Solid tumour types are named according to the type of cell they originate from. Examples of solid tumours are sarcomas, carcinomas, and lymphomas. Leukaemias (cancers of the blood) generally do not form solid tumours.
The word tumour does not always imply cancer. In discussing tumours that are malignant (cancerous), however, the term solid tumour is used to distinguish between a localised mass of tissue and leukaemia.
