TUMORS. 



309 



moUwcum) the new growths occur in some special form of connective 

 tissue, as that of the nerves, blood-vessels, or glands. Some of them are 

 congenital. There is often a growth of very cellular tissue just beneath 

 the epithelium. Such tumors resemble sarcoma. ' 



While the fibromata are commonly nodular in form, when they de- 

 velop on the skin or mucous membranes they frequently form papillary 

 outgrowths covered more or less thickly with epithelium, and are then 

 called papillomata (Fig. 147). Common warts of the skin are papillomata 

 with excessive production of surface epithelium. To the papillomata 

 also belong some ol' the so-called coudylomata. 



The so-called Cheloid, composed of very dense fibrous tissue with few 

 cells, often develops rapidly in old cicatrices, or elsewhere, in the skin, 



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rfc\- r\/> 

 x\ . -. // 7 ' v -i.tr- ' A 



FIG. 146. FIBROMA MOLLE; KROM THE SUBCUTANEOUS TISSUE. 

 The stroma is oedematous, and in gross appearance the tumor resembled myxoma. 



forming flat or slightly lobulated tumors. It is not in all cases clear 

 whether cheloids should be regarded as tumors or as inflammatory new 

 formations. 



Fibromata are frequently combined with other kinds of tissue to form 

 complex tumors. The looser, softer varieties not infrequently become 

 redematous, when they may closely resemble myxomata (Fig. 146). 

 Fibromata are liable to calcification and to fatty and mucous degenera- 

 tion. By metaplasia they may partially change to form fibro-chondroma, 

 fibro-lipoma, fibro-sarcoma, or fibro-osteoma. The latter transformation 

 frequently occurs when they form in the periosteum. 



Developing, as they do, in the connective tissue, fibromata occur in 

 the various parts of the body : in the skin and subcutaneous tissue ; in 

 intermuscular tissue and fasciae ; in periosteum ; in the nerve sheaths and 

 intrafascicular connective tissue ; in the dura mater, the interstitial tissue 

 of organs, and in the mucous membranes. Some of the so-called polypi 



'See Gilchrist, Johns Hopkins Hospital Reports, vol. i., p. 349, 1896. 



