Die krankhaften Geschwülste

Rudolf Virchow's work, Die krankhaften Geschwülste (1863–67), explored pathological tumors. Virchow, a prominent 19th-century physician, applied the cell theory to understand diseases, emphasizing that illnesses originate in individual cells within organs and tissues.1

While Virchow's work on tumors was significant, his conception that malignancy stemmed from a conversion of connective tissue was later found to be erroneous. Tumors, defined as "semiautonomous growths of tissue," are characterized by abnormal cell growth due to malfunctions in growth control mechanisms. Before spreading, tumors exist as noninvasive lesions, confined to their original site and lacking their own blood supply.1234