Final answer:
The suffix -oma denotes a tumor, which can be benign or malignant (cancerous) depending on its behavior and characteristics.
Step-by-step explanation:
The suffix -oma is commonly used in medical terminology to denote a tumor. In the context of biology and medicine, a tumor refers to an abnormal mass of tissue that forms when cells divide more than they should or do not die when they should. Tumors can be either benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). A benign tumor stops growing by itself, does not invade other tissues, and does not form metastases. In contrast, a malignant tumor, also known as a malignant neoplasm or actual cancer, demonstrates uncontrolled cell growth, invasion of adjacent tissues, and sometimes metastasis, which means it can spread to other locations in the body via lymph or blood.