What are the dangers of lipomas and do they need to be removed?

Lipomas are composed of mature fat cells and are benign soft tissue tumors that are formed when a large number of fat particles converge in the body. Most small-sized lipomas grow extremely slowly and do not have much effect on the body. Lipomas less than 5 cm in diameter usually do not need to be removed. If the size is larger (greater than 10cm) or grows rapidly within a short period of time, or even if symptoms such as pain occur, it is necessary to consider whether the lipoma has the possibility of malignant transformation into liposarcoma, and lipoma resection needs to be performed as soon as possible. Patients with benign lipoma generally have a better prognosis after treatment. A single lipoma is called a lipoma, and two or more lipomas are called lipomatosis. It is commonly seen in female patients and is generally less harmful to the body. Sometimes lipomas grow inside the abdominal cavity or behind the peritoneum, and there is plenty of space suitable for lipoma growth. It is not until the lipoma grows to a certain extent and compresses the surrounding tissues and organs, causing a series of clinical manifestations, that it is diagnosed, and then treatment is more difficult. Liposarcoma, in particular, is prone to recurrence after removal. The more times of resection, the higher the malignancy of liposarcoma and the greater the impact on the body, even endangering the patient’s life. Therefore, clinical liposarcoma larger than 5cm is recommended to be removed surgically to avoid liposarcoma malignancy.