HOSA Dental Terminology Practice

What type of tumor is a granuloma?

1. A vascular tumor of the neck

2. A glandular tumor usually of epithelioid or lymphoid cells

3. An epithelial cell neoplasm

4. A neoplasm of connective tissue

The correct answer is: A glandular tumor usually of epithelioid or lymphoid cells

A granuloma is correctly identified as a type of necrotizing inflammation rather than a neoplasm; however, when considering the nature of a granuloma, it is important to understand that it arises from a specific adaptive response to chronic inflammation, typically due to infection, foreign substances, or certain diseases. In the context of the provided options, a granuloma can be associated with a neoplasm of connective tissue since granulomas are formed in response to stimuli that cause the connective tissue to react and proliferate to isolate the offending cause. This reaction often involves various types of immune cells, with macrophages playing a significant role. The answers relating to vascular tumors, glandular tumors, or epithelial neoplasms incorrectly characterize a granuloma, which stems more directly from an inflammatory response than from a typical cancerous growth of glands or epithelial cells. Thus, defining granulomas relates them closely to the characteristics of connective tissue phenomena, highlighting their role in inflammation rather than solid or glandular tumor formations.