What characterizes benign tumors?

Benign tumors are characterized by their growth pattern, which typically involves filling the space available but not invading surrounding tissues. Unlike malignant tumors, which are cancerous and can spread to other parts of the body through the bloodstream or by invading nearby tissues, benign tumors usually remain localized. This means they may grow larger but do not infiltrate adjacent tissues or metastasize.

The correct choice highlights this ability of benign tumors to expand in size while maintaining a distinct boundary, distinguishing them from more aggressive cancerous tumors. Therefore, they generally pose less threat to overall health compared to malignant tumors, as they do not exhibit the same invasive or spreading characteristics.