# Are tumors edible? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 26, 2010, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tumors-edible/551594 "2010-08-26T22:19:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tumors-edible/551594/21 "2010-08-27T03:15:30Z")
> [@fuzzypickles](#): > > Bacon’s taken from a pig’s ass [nitpick] As mentioned, I don’t know what kind of bacon _you’re_ eating, but bacon is usually belly. (There are also back bacons and jowl bacons. I’m unaware of any ass bacons.) > [@](#): > > cheese is a mixture of fermented breast secretions and cow’s stomach acid Rennet is an enzyme, not a stomach acid. And a lot (most?) cheese is not fermented. > [@](#): > > eggs are avian embryos, Commercial eggs are generally unfertilized and, hence, not embryos. [/nitpick] ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tumors-edible/551594/22 "2010-08-27T03:18:07Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > > [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > > > Diaphragm is also known as flank steak. > > OMG, really? I had no idea. Tasty, tasty diaphragm… 😃 > > > [@Cheshire\_Human](#): > > > > Hot dogs are made from lips and scrotums… > > Not in the US, they’re not. They’re made from all skeletal muscle, in other words, meat. [http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/hot\_dogs/index.asp](http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/hot_dogs/index.asp) And a freakin’ pedant rings in. You just _ **HAD** _ to go and destroy my illusions, didn’t you. Now what are we going to do with the nuclear waste? Hmmm? Shall we put it into your breakfast pancakes? MMMMM, Nuclear syrup… ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tumors-edible/551594/23 "2010-08-27T03:22:46Z")
It would keep breakfast hotter longer! ---
**Author:** ![Oly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oly/32/8255_2.png) [@Oly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oly)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tumors-edible/551594/24 "2010-08-27T04:39:34Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > > [@taffygirl](#): > > > > My mom says she used to love lungs cooked with (I’m not making this up) diaphragm wrapped around them. > > Diaphragm is also known as flank steak. Very tasty, and if you have mexican dishes like beef fajitas, you’re probably eating diaphragm there. It’s a very well-exercised muscle. When I used to cut meat, the flank was the abdominal muscles - the analogous human muscle(s) would be the proverbial 6 pack. Skirt steak - now that’s your diaphragm. When I used to cut tumors, we would get big tumors of the sort mentioned in the story on a fairly regular basis - but nowhere near that big of course. From the description of “growing in the womb” and “malignant” I would assume it’s probably a leiomyosarcoma, which is a tumor of muscle, smooth muscle. The benign counterpart, leiomyoma or fibroid, is probably the most common benign tumor of humans, and they can be quite large as well, and numerous within a single uterus. As I was cutting these tumors and daydreaming back on my meat cutting days, I would sometimes wonder if those things were edible, or could be made palatable. But then I would stop myself. Another thing I’ve wondered about is if meat cutters or butchers ever come across skeletal muscle tumors in cattle. So many cattle are slaughtered, it must happen. Then what do they do? And becuase so many cattle are slaughtered, an occasional tumor must slip through and make it to market. I’ve never seen one. Not that I knowof. But I’m keeping my eyes peeled. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tumors-edible/551594/25 "2010-08-27T05:28:51Z")
Mmmmm… Tumor mornay! ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tumors-edible/551594/26 "2010-08-27T06:02:59Z")
Ovary tumors… MMM, caviar… Oh, wait, I don’t like caviar… Beluga fish ovaries… eeeew, yuck… I don’t think the OP actually addresses the question of **food**. Could we talk about cheese, or something, I’m kinda getting nauseated on the tumor subject… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tumors-edible/551594/27 "2010-08-27T06:13:31Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Commercial eggs are generally unfertilized and, hence, not embryos. > > [/nitpick] They’re neatly encapsulated hens’ periods! ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tumors-edible/551594/28 "2010-08-27T06:55:36Z")
Dear **Fuzzypickles** , have you ever really seen a tumor? Cut it down the center? Can’t mistake that for meat. I’ve got a little story for ya. As a tech in an animal ER, I’ve seen a few tumors in my time. Usually late-stage, because, you see, people don’t seem to think that lump or dangling thing is that big of a deal - until, that is, the tumor bursts and starts to bleed everywhere. Or until the cat or dog who has it decides to chew it off - and it’s bleeding everywhere! We had a beagle in not that long ago. He had a large tumor dangling - swinging - on a stem, and hanging from his abdomen. It swung low enough that he could get a hold of it, so he ate a mouth-shaped crescent out of it. :eek: I said he was carrying his own “Lunchable”, no refrigeration needed. Now, where’s that barfey smilie again? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tumors-edible/551594/29 "2010-08-27T12:23:25Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Diaphragm is also known as flank steak. Sorry!. I meant to say **skirt** steak. :smack::smack: ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tumors-edible/551594/30 "2010-08-27T12:40:33Z")
You ever regret opening a thread? I do, sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tumors-edible/551594/31 "2010-08-27T18:36:51Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > They’re neatly encapsulated hens’ periods! I don’t really know if I needed to read that. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tumors-edible/551594/32 "2010-08-27T18:45:13Z")
Where’s Leonard Betts when you need him? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tumors-edible/551594/33 "2010-08-27T18:45:30Z")
And people ask me why I’m a vegetarian. ---
**Author:** ![cwthree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@cwthree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cwthree)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tumors-edible/551594/34 "2010-08-27T18:48:13Z")
[Huitlacoche](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huitlacoche#Characteristics)is an edible tumor that develops on corn ears when the plant is infected by corn smut. ---
**Author:** ![Anonymous\_Coward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/94ad74/32.png) [@Anonymous\_Coward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anonymous_Coward)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tumors-edible/551594/35 "2010-08-27T19:00:35Z")
> [@cwthree](#): > > [Huitlacoche](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huitlacoche#Characteristics)is an edible tumor that develops on corn ears when the plant is infected by corn smut. I’ve seen corn smut on the internet. creamed corn smut to be exact :blech: ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tumors-edible/551594/36 "2010-08-27T19:01:30Z")
> [@fuzzypickles](#): > > Bacon’s taken from a pig’s ass > [@pulykamell](#): > > [nitpick] > As mentioned, I don’t know what kind of bacon _you’re_ eating, but bacon is usually belly. (There are also back bacons and jowl bacons. I’m unaware of any ass bacons.) > [/nitpick] USA is belly bacon. other places use sides and back. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tumors-edible/551594/37 "2010-08-27T20:50:40Z")
> [@cwthree](#): > > [Huitlacoche](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huitlacoche#Characteristics)is an edible tumor that develops on corn ears when the plant is infected by corn smut. And people ask me why I’m a carnivore. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tumors-edible/551594/38 "2010-08-27T20:54:46Z")
> [@Cheshire\_Human](#): > > Hot dogs are made from lips and scrotums… > > It’s a proven fact that people will eat hot dogs, no matter what you put in them, which brings up my proposed method for disposing of nuclear waste… 😃 Mr. Dibbler ? Is that you ? ---
**Author:** ![fuzzypickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tumors-edible/551594/39 "2010-08-28T01:04:20Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > You ever regret opening a thread? > > I do, sometimes. You’re lucky, at least you don’t have to live with a brain that comes up with these questions. 🆒 And I could’ve sworn that bacon came from a pig’s ass…my bad. Well, there’s always rump roast… ---
**Author:** ![Hairy\_Bob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecc23a/32.png) [@Hairy\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hairy_Bob)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tumors-edible/551594/40 "2010-08-29T12:42:51Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > They’re neatly encapsulated hens’ periods! Quick tip: If, while dining on an egg McMuffin (or similar) you are approached by a militant vegan who feels the need to inform you that “you’re eating chicken period, you know”, do **not** reply “OM NOM NOM chicken period” and messily stuff it in your mouth. You will find yourself no longer welcome in that branch of McDonalds. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tumors-edible/551594.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tumors-edible/551594.md?page=3)