The word "tumour" always seems to create concern whenever it is mentioned. This is because people immediately seem to assume the word "tumour" equates with cancer.
This is not the case.
Tumour simply means lump or swelling it does not indicate the lump in question is a cancer.
Fortunately the vast majority of lumps (or tumours) of the hand are benign.
The word "benign" means non cancerous.
Because there are so many different types of tissue in your hand we see lumps from time to time involving all these tissue types
I have listed some of them below
Tumours ( lumps ) associated with:
- Skin Inclusion cysts, vial warts, skin cancer
- Subcutaneous tissue (fatty tissue of the hand)- Lipoma
- Nerves or nerve associated structures Neuroma, Neurolemoma, Schwannoma, Glomus tumor
- Blood vessels- Haemangioma, AV malformations,
- Fascia Dupytren's disease, fibromas
- Tendons- trigger fingers, tendon sheath ganglions, Giant cell tumour of tendon sheath
- Joints- Ganglion cysts, mucous cysts, osteomas, enchondromas, Giant cell tumour of tendon sheath, synovial tumours
With the exception of skin cancers the vast majority of hand tumours are benign (which means essentially harmless). Even though they are harmless they are often require removal because this are interfering with hand function. In very rare cases malignant tumours of the hand occur but these cases are quite rare .If and when they occur they are usually are form of rare tumour known as a sarcoma .
They may cause pain, interfere with your ability to grip or manipulate things with your fingers or cause deformity of your fingers or joints.
The treatment for most hand tumours is surgical removal. The surgery is individualised for each particular case. Most often surgery is performed as a day surgery procedure often using local anaesthesia techniques so general anaesthesia ( not always) can be avoided if you wish Intravenous sedation is often given so that even though you will not require a genral anaesthetic you will not remember anything about the procedure .
