The Latin word benignus came to our language as benign. It is an adjective that qualifies that or that which is compassionate, gracious, pious or cordial. For example: “I was lucky enough to meet a benign man who gave me shelter in his home”, “I thought he was going to try to make me feel bad again, but this time he called me for something benign”, “I think if you are benign, God will help you ”.
Benigno also alludes to what is calm, serene, moderate or mild: “The climate in this city is benign, unlike the climate we have where we live”, “The authorities decided to modify the prison conditions and now the suspect enjoys more benign conditions “, ” I don’t like yelling at people, I prefer a more benign treatment. “
In the field of medicine, the idea of benign refers to an injury or a disease that is not serious. Specifically, the notion usually applies to the tumor that is not cancerous (since it is made up of cells similar to the usual ones, which do not spread throughout the body).
According to DigoPaul, the benign tumors, therefore, are not aggressive or overgrow. This means that they do not metastasize or invade adjacent tissues. They generally do not pose a serious threat to health, although they can cause complications. There are benign tumors that can become malignant, and others that, as they grow, can compress an organ.
In more technical terms, a benign tumor is a class of neoplasia, that is, an abnormal mass of tissue that arises when the cells that compose it multiply at a rate above normal. Since in principle they do not carry complications, in most cases it is possible to live with them, although many people decide to undergo a surgical intervention to have them removed, either for cosmetic reasons or for fear that in the future they will become in evil.
One of the most common benign tumors is the melanocytic nevus, a small, pigmented spot with well-defined borders, which is made up of nevic cells and melanin. Among its most outstanding characteristics is that it can appear both in the epidermis and in the dermis or subcutaneous tissue, as well as in any part of the body. In everyday speech, it is known by the name of mole.
The uterine fibroid is also a benign tumor. As its name implies, its development takes place in the uterus, more precisely in its muscle tissue. It should be mentioned that only 0.5% of these tumors become malignant (the so-called sarcomas). According to various statistical studies, it is believed to be more common in black women than white, over 35 years of age, a group in which it appears in one in four to five.
The actress and singer Julie Andrews, born in England in 1935, was the protagonist of one of the most regrettable stories of recent times. In 1997 they detected a benign nodule on the vocal cords; Although they indicated that the surgery for its removal was not risky, a malpractice caused irreparable damage that prevented him from singing again. A woman who had spent her entire life tackling pieces of music of varying difficulty, with a voice endowed with agility and brilliance, was limited to a few low notes for the rest of her life.
Finally, we can mention that Benigno is a masculine name whose saints are celebrated on February 13. The Peruvian musician Benigno Ballón Farfán (1892-1957), the Spanish guerrilla Benigno Andrade (1908-1952) and the Argentine military Benigno Benjamín Villanueva (1815-1872) are some personalities who bear this name.