A lipoma is a benign tumor composed of fatty tissue. They are the most common form of soft tissue tumor. Lipomas are soft to the touch, usually movable, and are generally painless. Many lipomas are small (under one centimeter diameter) but can enlarge to sizes greater than six centimeters. Lipomas are commonly found in adults from 40 to 60 years of age, but can also be found in children. Some sources claim that malignant transformation can occur, while others say that this has yet to be convincingly documented.
Lipomas are fairly common. About 1 in 100 people (1%) will develop a lipoma. We don’t know what causes them, but some people develop them because of an inherited faulty gene. This condition is known as ‘familial multiple lipoma'. People with this condition will develop more than one lipoma. The exact number they have can vary but it can be several.
Lipomas are non-cancerous, slow-growing tumors composed of fat tissue. Lipomas usually grow in the neck, shoulders, back, or arms.
The cause of lipomas is unclear. Some possibilities include having had a minor injury at the site where the lipoma develops, heredity, and chromosomal abnormalities. Lipomas do not appear to be caused by diet or obesity.
The tendency to develop a lipoma is not necessarily hereditary although hereditary conditions, such as F Multiple Lipomatosis , may include lipoma development.
Lipomatosis is a hereditary condition where multiple lipomas are present on the body.
