Benign tumors can be surgically removed if they're causing symptoms, while the treatment for malignant tumors requires radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery.
Compared with benign tumor cells, malignant tumor cells have key features like not having a clearly defined border or like a slightly less organized nuclei.
A different cause is a hyper functioning thyroid adenoma where the follicular cells start growing uncontrollably, forming a benign tumor that makes excess thyroid hormones.
The leading cause of that is a pituitary adenoma, which is a benign tumor of the pituitary gland- and this specific condition is called Cushing disease.
Another common cause of endogenous Cushing syndrome is tumors of the adrenal glands that make excess cortisol - like adrenal adenomas, which are benign tumors, and adrenal carcinomas, which are malignant tumors.
The exact reason for the development of this sort of benign tumor isn't known - but unlike a malignant tumor - the cells don't invade neighboring tissues or spread to other parts of the body.