What is "blastoma"

n. (context pathology English) A tumour that is caused by malignancies in precursor cells or blasts.

n. a tumor composed of immature undifferentiated cells [syn: blastocytoma, embryonal carcinosarcoma]

A blastoma is a type of cancer, more common in children, that is caused by malignancies in precursor cells, often called blasts. Examples are nephroblastoma, medulloblastoma and retinoblastoma. The suffix "-blastoma" is used to imply a tumor of primitive, incompletely differentiated (or precursor) cells, e.g., chondroblastoma is composed of cells resembling the precursor of chondrocytes.

Blastomas usually occur in children.