Infiltrating lipoma is a rare, noncancerous fatty growth that extends into nearby muscle or other soft tissue. The early symptoms of infiltrating lipoma often include a slowly enlarging lump, local discomfort, pressure, or trouble moving the affected area. It is usually found in adults, and it often develops over months or years. Not everyone will have the same experience. Infiltrating lipoma is usually not life-threatening, but treatment often involves surgery because the growth can return if some tissue is left behind.
How many people live with Infiltrating lipoma?
Global and U.S. prevalence estimates for infiltrating lipoma are not consistently reported by a single authoritative source. Major rare-disease references such as Orphanet and the National Organization for Rare Disorders describe it as rare, but do not provide a reliable count of how many people are living with it worldwide or in the United States.
Overview
Infiltrating lipomaSymptoms
Infiltrating lipoma often appears as a soft, slow-growing lump under the skin. If it presses into muscle, nerves, or nearby tissue, it can cause discomfort, swelling, reduced movement, or a lump that keeps coming back after removal.
Outlook and prognosis
Infiltrating lipoma is benign, so it does not spread like cancer, but it can grow into nearby muscle and return after removal. Outlook is usually good, especially with careful imaging, surgery when needed, and follow-up for recurrence.
Causes and risk factors
The exact cause of infiltrating lipoma is unclear. Most cases are sporadic, though some show acquired genetic changes; no clear lifestyle or environmental risks are known. Infiltrating lipoma is found more often in adults.
Genetic influences
Genetics do not appear to be a major driver of infiltrating lipoma in most people. Most cases are sporadic, meaning they usually are not inherited, although genetic changes can sometimes arise only in the affected tissue.
Diagnosis
Infiltrating lipoma is usually diagnosed with a physical exam and imaging, often MRI or ultrasound. A biopsy or surgical tissue sample confirms the diagnosis and helps rule out other soft tissue tumors.
Treatment and drugs
Infiltrating lipoma is usually treated with surgery to remove as much of the fatty growth as possible. Because it can grow into nearby muscle, complete removal is sometimes harder, so follow-up imaging and repeat surgery may be needed if it comes back.
Symptoms
Many people with infiltrating lipoma first notice a lump that slowly gets bigger or a sense of fullness in one area. It is often not painful at first, which can make it easy to ignore for a while. When symptoms do happen, they usually come from the growth pressing into nearby muscle, nerves, or other soft tissue. Symptoms vary from person to person and can change over time.
A slowly enlarging lump is often the most noticeable sign of infiltrating lipoma. The early symptoms of infiltrating lipoma may be as mild as a soft bulge or a deeper area of fullness that seems more obvious over months.
Some people with infiltrating lipoma feel heaviness, tightness, or pressure in the affected area. Day to day, it can feel like clothing, a bra strap, or a seatbelt suddenly presses on one spot more than it used to.
Infiltrating lipoma is often painless, but some may develop a dull ache or tenderness. This is more likely if the growth presses into muscle or nearby tissues, especially during movement or after a long day.
If the growth irritates or compresses a nerve, you might notice tingling, reduced feeling, or a pins-and-needles sensation. Some people also describe burning or discomfort that spreads a short distance from the lump.
How people usually first notice Infiltrating lipoma?
People usually first notice an infiltrating lipoma as a slow-growing, soft lump under the skin or deeper in the body, often in the shoulder, chest wall, arm, or thigh. Because it can grow into nearby muscle and other tissues, the first signs of infiltrating lipoma may also include a feeling of fullness, visible swelling, discomfort, or trouble moving the nearby area if the mass presses on muscles or nerves. In many cases it is painless at first, which is why people often spot it by touch or by noticing that one area looks larger than before.
Types of Infiltrating lipoma
No distinct types of infiltrating lipoma are widely recognized.
Can I slow down the onset of symptoms?
Probably not. For infiltrating lipoma, there is no good evidence that lifestyle changes like diet, exercise, sleep, or stress control can meaningfully delay when symptoms begin; symptoms usually depend more on where this noncancerous fatty growth develops and how much it spreads into nearby tissue than on anything you did or did not do. Healthy habits still support overall health, but they have not been shown to prevent this condition, and while there is no proven medicine to stop it from starting, regular follow-up can help catch changes early and guide treatment, often surgery, if symptoms appear.
What genetics can tell you about symptoms
For most people with infiltrating lipoma, genetics does not clearly predict which symptoms they will have, how severe those symptoms will be, or when they will start. Symptoms are usually driven more by where the growth is, how deep it extends into nearby tissue, and how large it becomes, so one person may notice only a slow-growing lump while another may have pressure, pain, or trouble with movement in that area. Researchers have found genetic changes in some fatty tumors, but these changes are usually in the tumor itself rather than inherited through the family, and they are not yet used in routine care to forecast symptoms.
Causes and risk factors
The exact causes of infiltrating lipoma are often unclear. It happens when a group of fat cells grows into nearby muscle or other soft tissue instead of staying in one spot. Infiltrating lipoma is seen more often in adults, and some people may have a family tendency to lipomas, although this is uncommon. Possible risk factors for infiltrating lipoma include past injury or long-term pressure in one area, but researchers are still learning how these pieces fit together. There are no proven lifestyle causes, and body weight does not seem to be a clear cause.
What are the most common causes or risk factors?
The exact cause of an infiltrating lipoma is usually not known, but it happens when a group of fat cells begins to grow too much and spreads into nearby soft tissue or muscle. Most cases seem to happen by chance rather than being passed down in families, although having a family history of lipomas can raise the chance for some people. These growths are seen more often in adults, and there is no strong evidence that diet, exercise, or everyday habits directly cause them.
Environmental and biological risk factors
Infiltrating lipoma is a rare fatty growth that spreads into nearby muscle or soft tissue. The exact risk factors for infiltrating lipoma are not well defined. Doctors often group risks into internal (biological) and external (environmental). For this condition, age is the clearest body-based factor, while strong outside triggers have not been confirmed.
Infiltrating lipoma is most often diagnosed in adults, especially from middle age onward. It is much less common in children and teenagers.
This growth seems to begin when fat cells extend between nearby muscle fibers and connective tissue instead of staying in one small area. That body-based tendency matters, but the exact changes driving it are still not fully understood.
Some people notice a lump after a bump, strain, or surgery in the same area. So far, trauma has not been proven to cause infiltrating lipoma, so doctors usually treat it as a possible association rather than a confirmed risk factor.
This tumor has not been clearly linked to radiation, chemicals, infections, or air pollution. In many cases, no specific environmental trigger can be identified.
Genetic risk factors
The genetic causes of infiltrating lipoma are still not fully clear. Most cases seem to happen by chance, not because a parent passed down a known gene change. Some tumors do show DNA changes in the lump itself, but these are usually not inherited. Carrying a genetic change doesn’t guarantee the condition will appear.
Sporadic cases: Most infiltrating lipomas are sporadic, meaning they arise in one area without a clear inherited cause. Many people with this tumor do not have relatives with the same problem.
HMGA2 changes: Some fatty tumors, including some infiltrating lipomas, have changes involving a growth-control gene called HMGA2. This is usually a change in the tumor cells themselves rather than a gene change passed through a family.
Chromosome rearrangements: In some cases, pieces of DNA on chromosome 12 and a few other chromosome regions are rearranged. These shifts can disturb normal growth signals, although they are not found in every infiltrating lipoma.
Family history: A family history of multiple lipomas can raise the chance of fatty lumps in general. When people ask whether infiltrating lipoma is hereditary, the answer is usually no for a single isolated tumor.
Rare syndromes: Rare inherited conditions can make people more likely to develop many lipomas across the body. These conditions are uncommon and are not the usual explanation for one infiltrating lipoma.
Lifestyle risk factors
Infiltrating lipoma is a benign fatty tumor that grows into nearby soft tissues, and there are no well-established lifestyle causes. In practice, lifestyle risk factors for infiltrating lipoma are not clearly defined in the way they are for many metabolic diseases. Still, some daily habits can influence symptoms, physical function, surgical recovery, and how easily changes in the mass are noticed over time.
Excess body weight is not a proven cause of infiltrating lipoma, but weight gain can make a fatty mass harder to evaluate and may add strain if it affects movement or posture. In people who need surgery, higher body weight can also make the operation and recovery more difficult.
Lack of exercise does not appear to cause infiltrating lipoma, but low activity can worsen stiffness, weakness, or loss of function when the tumor involves muscle or deeper tissues. Gentle, well-chosen movement may help preserve mobility and reduce discomfort around the affected area.
Smoking is not known to trigger infiltrating lipoma, but it can reduce blood flow and delay wound healing if the tumor is removed. It may also increase the risk of postoperative complications and slow recovery of the affected tissues.
Alcohol is not an established cause of infiltrating lipoma, but heavy use can impair healing, worsen nutritional status, and complicate recovery after surgery. It can also make it harder to manage pain medicines and follow rehabilitation plans safely.
Risk prevention
Infiltrating lipoma usually cannot be fully prevented because it is a rare benign fatty growth that develops within nearby muscle or soft tissue. Prevention is about lowering risk, not eliminating it completely. For many living with infiltrating lipoma, the most useful steps are early assessment of a new lump, careful treatment planning, and follow-up that helps reduce the risk of infiltrating lipoma coming back after removal.
Have any new, enlarging, or deeper soft-tissue lump checked sooner rather than later. This can help confirm whether it is infiltrating lipoma or another type of growth and may make treatment planning easier.
Scans such as MRI are often used to show how far the growth extends into nearby tissue. Good imaging can lower the chance that part of infiltrating lipoma is left behind during treatment.
When removal is needed, treatment by a surgeon familiar with soft-tissue tumors may help reduce recurrence. This matters because infiltrating lipoma can extend between muscle fibers and be harder to fully remove than a simple fatty lump.
Regular follow-up after treatment can help catch regrowth early, especially in the months and years after surgery. If the area starts to feel fuller again or a lump slowly returns, prompt review is important.
Can you prevent Infiltrating lipoma?
No, there is no known way to prevent an infiltrating lipoma, which is a noncancerous fatty growth that can grow into nearby muscle or soft tissue. These growths do not seem to be caused by anything you did, and there are no well-proven lifestyle changes that are known to stop them from forming. If you notice a new lump, pain, or swelling, getting it checked early can help with treatment, even though it does not prevent it.
Transmission
Infiltrating lipoma is not infectious, so it cannot be caught from someone else through touch, coughing, sex, blood, food, or shared spaces. Many living with infiltrating lipoma develop it as a local overgrowth of fatty tissue, and it does not spread from one person to another.
When people ask about how infiltrating lipoma is inherited, the short answer is that it is usually not passed from parent to child and most cases appear sporadically rather than running strongly in families. In rare situations, some families have a tendency to develop lipomas in general, but infiltrating lipoma itself is still considered a noncontagious condition.
When to test your genes
For infiltrating lipoma, genetic testing is usually not needed because this is typically a benign, noninherited growth diagnosed with imaging and biopsy, not with DNA testing. Testing may be worth discussing only if there are multiple unusual fatty tumors, very early onset, or a strong family history suggesting a rare inherited syndrome.
Diagnosis
An infiltrating lipoma is usually diagnosed after a soft lump is found, often because it keeps coming back, feels fixed in place, or starts pressing on nearby tissues. Unlike a typical lipoma, this type can grow into muscle or other deeper structures, so imaging and tissue testing are often needed to confirm what it is. It’s natural to worry when symptoms don’t have a clear explanation. In many cases, the diagnosis of infiltrating lipoma combines the exam, scans, and a lab review of the removed tissue or biopsy sample.
Doctors usually begin by asking when the lump appeared, whether it has grown, and if it causes pain, pressure, weakness, or limited movement. A detailed family and health history can help rule out other causes of a soft-tissue mass.
Your provider checks the size, texture, and depth of the lump and whether it seems attached to muscle or other tissues. They also look for signs that nearby nerves, joints, or muscles may be affected.
Ultrasound may show that the mass is made mostly of fat, but MRI is often the most helpful scan because it can show how deeply the growth extends into muscle. CT may also be used in some cases, especially if the area is hard to assess or surgery is being planned.
If the lump is deep, unusual, or not clearly benign on imaging, your provider may suggest a biopsy to look closer. The sample is examined under a microscope to help distinguish infiltrating lipoma from other fatty tumors, including liposarcoma.
How is Infiltrating lipoma diagnosed?
Doctors usually diagnose an infiltrating lipoma by asking about the lump, examining it, and using imaging tests such as ultrasound, CT, or most often MRI to see whether the fatty growth is spreading into nearby muscle or other tissue. Because this kind of lump can look like other growths, the diagnosis is usually confirmed by taking a small sample or removing the lump and checking it under a microscope. Genetic testing is not usually needed.
Stages of Infiltrating lipoma
Infiltrating lipoma does not have defined progression stages. This is because it is usually described by where it grows and how deeply it extends into nearby muscle or other tissue, rather than by a step-by-step pattern over time. Often the process begins when you notice changes in daily life, such as a soft lump that seems to be getting larger, feels awkward with movement, or comes back after earlier treatment. Doctors usually diagnose infiltrating lipoma with a physical exam and imaging such as ultrasound, CT, or MRI, and the early symptoms of infiltrating lipoma are often confirmed by examining a tissue sample after removal or biopsy.
Outlook and prognosis
The outlook for infiltrating lipoma is generally very good because it is a benign tumor and does not metastasize. Prognosis is best when the growth can be completely removed, but recurrence is relatively common after incomplete excision because the fatty tissue can extend between muscles and other nearby structures. Even when it comes back, it usually remains slow-growing rather than life-threatening, though larger or deeply located tumors can cause ongoing pain, limitation of movement, or pressure on surrounding tissues. Mortality is very low, and deaths are not expected from the tumor itself except in exceptionally rare situations where its size or location leads to serious complications. Long-term follow-up is often recommended to watch for regrowth after treatment.
Long-term effects
Infiltrating lipoma can have lasting effects mainly because it grows into nearby muscle or other soft tissue instead of staying neatly separate. For many, this can mean a lump that slowly becomes more noticeable, causes discomfort, or interferes with movement depending on where it is. It’s important to remember that long-term doesn’t always mean progressive. The main long-term concern is local recurrence, especially if the growth cannot be fully removed.
Infiltrating lipoma can grow back in the same area after treatment because fatty tissue may extend between nearby muscle fibers. This is more likely when complete removal is difficult or would risk damage to surrounding structures.
Many living with infiltrating lipoma may have ongoing aching, tenderness, or a feeling of pressure if the growth presses on muscle, fascia, or nearby nerves. In some areas, pain may show up only with activity, stretching, or certain positions.
When infiltrating lipoma affects a limb, shoulder, neck, or back, it can reduce flexibility and make everyday movements less comfortable. Over time, daily routines may need small adjustments if lifting, turning, walking, or exercise becomes harder.
A persistent lump or asymmetry can remain a long-term issue, especially when the growth is large or sits close to the surface. For some, the early symptoms of infiltrating lipoma are subtle, but the area may become more noticeable over months or years.
How is it to live with Infiltrating lipoma?
Living with an infiltrating lipoma can be surprisingly variable: some people barely notice it, while others live with a slow-growing lump that can cause discomfort, a feeling of pressure, stiffness, or trouble moving normally when it extends into nearby muscle or other deep tissue. In daily life, that can mean avoiding certain positions, feeling sore with exercise or repetitive movement, or simply being distracted by the size or location of the mass, especially if it affects sleep, clothing, work, or body image. For family and others around you, the biggest impact is often practical and emotional rather than dangerous, since this is a benign growth, but the uncertainty, repeat medical visits, and the chance it can come back after treatment can still be stressful for everyone involved.
Treatment and drugs
Infiltrating lipoma is usually treated by removing the growth with surgery, because this type of fatty tumor tends to grow into nearby muscle or other soft tissue and can be harder to fully take out than a simple lipoma. Treatment often looks different for each person, since the best plan depends on where the tumor is, how large it is, whether it is causing pain, pressure, or trouble with movement, and whether it has come back before. Surgery is the main treatment, and in some cases imaging such as MRI is used before the operation to help map the edges so the surgeon can remove as much of the tumor as possible while protecting nearby structures. There is no standard medicine that reliably shrinks an infiltrating lipoma, so drugs are usually used only to help with symptoms such as pain after surgery or discomfort while waiting for treatment. Because infiltrating lipoma can sometimes return after treatment, follow-up visits and repeat scans may be part of long-term care.
Can you cure Infiltrating lipoma?
There is no medicine that cures an infiltrating lipoma, but surgery can often remove the growth. Because this noncancerous fatty growth can extend into nearby muscle and other tissue, it may come back after treatment, so regular follow-up is important. Treatment is mainly used to relieve pain, pressure, or trouble with movement and to remove as much of the growth as possible.
Non-drug treatment
Infiltrating lipoma can affect comfort, movement, or appearance when it grows into nearby muscle or soft tissue, so treatment is often centered on function and daily life rather than medicine. For many, treatment begins not at the pharmacy, but with deciding whether the lump needs monitoring, surgery, or supportive rehab. Because these growths can extend into surrounding tissue, the best non-drug approach depends on size, location, symptoms, and whether there are signs that could mimic early symptoms of infiltrating lipoma or another soft-tissue mass. Many living with infiltrating lipoma do well with a tailored plan and follow-up over time.
If the lump is small and not causing pain, weakness, or pressure, careful observation may be enough. This usually means regular exams and sometimes repeat imaging to check for growth or changes.
Surgery is the main non-drug treatment when infiltrating lipoma causes symptoms, limits movement, or keeps growing. The goal is to remove as much of the fatty growth as is safely possible while protecting nearby muscles, nerves, and other structures.
MRI or other scans can help map how far infiltrating lipoma extends before treatment. Imaging may also be used after surgery if symptoms return or if the tumor was hard to remove completely.
Physical therapy can help if the mass or surgery affects strength, range of motion, or everyday tasks. Some may find it easier to get back to walking, lifting, or reaching with a guided rehab plan.
Your genes may have an impact on how drugs work for you
For people living with infiltrating lipoma, medicine is usually not the main treatment, so there is no well-established gene-based test that helps doctors pick a specific drug for this condition. If medicine is used for things like pain control around a procedure, people can respond a little differently, but this is usually guided by overall health, age, and other medicines rather than by known inherited differences linked specifically to infiltrating lipoma.
Pharmacological treatments
For infiltrating lipoma, medicines usually do not shrink or remove the growth itself. Treatment is most often surgery, while drugs are mainly used to manage pain, support a procedure, or treat uncommon complications. If you are wondering about the best medication for infiltrating lipoma, the honest answer is that there is no standard drug that cures it. Not everyone responds to the same medication in the same way.
Acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen may help if infiltrating lipoma causes soreness or pressure. These medicines treat symptoms, not the fatty growth itself.
If pain is stronger, doctors may briefly use medicines such as tramadol or short-term opioids after a biopsy or surgery. These are usually limited because of side effects such as sleepiness, constipation, and dependence risk.
Lidocaine or similar numbing medicines may be used during biopsy, drainage, or surgery to block pain in the area. They help with the procedure itself but do not treat infiltrating lipoma over the long term.
For larger or deeper infiltrating lipoma operations, medicines used for general anesthesia such as propofol, sevoflurane, or fentanyl may be given in the hospital. These drugs keep you asleep and comfortable during surgery rather than treating the tumor directly.
Genetic influences
Most infiltrating lipomas seem to happen as isolated growths, so many living with infiltrating lipoma do not have a clear inherited cause. Genetics is only one piece of the puzzle, but changes that develop in the tumor’s own cells over time may help these fatty growths form and extend into nearby tissue. Those changes are usually acquired during life rather than passed down from a parent, which is why infiltrating lipoma does not usually “run in the family.” Rarely, some people have inherited conditions that make lipomas more likely overall, but that is different from saying an infiltrating lipoma itself is a strongly inherited disorder. If there are several fatty tumors, unusual early symptoms of infiltrating lipoma, or a strong family history of similar growths, a doctor may consider whether genetics deserves a closer look.
Is Infiltrating lipoma genetic?
Genetics do not appear to be a major driver of infiltrating lipoma in most people. Most cases are sporadic, meaning they usually are not inherited, although genetic changes can sometimes arise only in the affected tissue.
Having a genetic risk is not necessarily a diagnosis
Genetic variants are common and are a normal feature of human biology. Most do not directly affect health and simply reflect natural differences among people. In many genes, having a variant associated with a condition points to a possible link, not a certain diagnosis, particularly when several genes and environmental influences play a role. Still, sometimes one well-understood variant in a particular gene is enough to confirm a diagnosis.
Pharmacogenetics—how genetics influence drug effects
When infiltrating lipoma grows into nearby muscle, treatment is usually guided more by where the growth is and whether it can be removed fully than by a DNA test. For most people with infiltrating lipoma, surgery is the main treatment, and there are no standard drugs used to treat infiltrating lipoma that are chosen based on inherited gene results. Not every difference in response is genetic, but genes can affect how some people process pain medicines or anesthesia used around an operation, so doctors may adjust those medications based on your history, age, other medicines, and sometimes pharmacogenetic testing. Researchers have found genetic changes in some fatty tumors, but these findings are not yet used routinely to choose treatment for infiltrating lipoma. This means genetic testing for infiltrating lipoma is usually considered only in selected cases, such as when doctors want to confirm the diagnosis or rule out a different type of tumor. If the lump comes back after surgery or behaves in an unusual way, the next step is usually specialist review and imaging, not a gene-based drug plan.
Interactions with other conditions
Infiltrating lipoma usually does not trigger other diseases, but its location can make existing health problems more noticeable. If it grows into muscle or presses on nearby structures, people with arthritis, back problems, or nerve conditions may find that pain, stiffness, or weakness is harder to sort out. Someone might notice their symptoms flare when another condition is active, such as a shoulder lipoma making a rotator cuff problem feel worse or a neck mass adding to discomfort from a pinched nerve. In rare cases, a larger infiltrating lipoma in the head, neck, or chest area can add to breathing or swallowing trouble in people who already have conditions that affect the airway or esophagus. Another important point is that infiltrating lipoma can sometimes resemble more serious soft-tissue tumors on scans or exam, so doctors may need to rule out other causes when checking the early symptoms of infiltrating lipoma. Overall, the presence of another illness does not usually change the benign nature of infiltrating lipoma, but it can affect how symptoms are felt, investigated, and treated.
How genes can cause diseases
Humans have more than 20,000 genes, each carrying out one or a few specific functions in the body. One gene instructs the body to digest lactose from milk, another tells the body how to build strong bones and another prevents the body's cells from beginning to multiply uncontrollably and developing into cancer. As all of these genes combined are the building instructions for our body, a defect in one of these genes can have severe health consequences.
Through decades of genetic research, we know the genetic code of any healthy/functional human gene. We have also identified that in certain positions on a gene, some individuals may have a different genetic letter from the one you have. We call these hotspots "Genetic Variations" or "Variants" in short. In many cases, studies have been able to show that having the genetic letter "G" in the position makes you healthy, but having the letter "A" in the same position disrupts the gene function and causes a disease. Genopedia allows you to view these variants in genes and summarizes all that we know from scientific research, which genetic letters (Genotype) have good or bad consequences on your health or on your traits.
What other conditions can cause similar symptoms to Infiltrating lipoma?
A deep lump like an infiltrating lipoma can sometimes be mistaken for a regular lipoma, a cyst, or another harmless growth in the tissues under the skin. Doctors also need to rule out a rare cancer of fatty tissue called liposarcoma, especially if the lump is large, firm, painful, or keeps growing. When the lump extends into muscle, muscle swelling, scar tissue, or other growths in the muscle can sometimes look similar at first.
History
People living with infiltrating lipoma may find that what first seems like a simple fatty lump behaves differently over time. Instead of staying neatly separate from nearby tissue, this kind of growth can extend into muscles or deeper soft tissues, which is why its history has been tied closely to careful surgery and repeat imaging rather than appearance alone.
In recent decades, awareness has grown that infiltrating lipoma is not just a routine surface lump. Earlier medical reports often grouped many fatty growths together, and doctors mainly described what they could feel during an exam or see during surgery. As imaging and tissue analysis improved, it became clearer that some fatty tumors spread through nearby tissue in a distinctive way, even though they still looked made of mature fat cells under the microscope.
That shift mattered because it helped explain why infiltrating lipoma can come back after treatment if tiny extensions are left behind. In the past, many living with infiltrating lipoma may have been told they had an ordinary lipoma, only to learn later that the growth reached deeper than expected. Over time, surgeons, radiologists, and pathologists built a more precise picture of the condition by comparing scans, operations, and follow-up over many years.
Today, the history of infiltrating lipoma is less about a single breakthrough and more about steady refinement. What doctors once understood mainly through touch and surgery is now assessed with better imaging and more careful classification, which helps guide treatment planning and follow-up. Knowing this history also helps explain why early symptoms of infiltrating lipoma can seem mild at first, while the deeper extent of the growth may only become clear during imaging or removal.