Around the beginning of last year, Pops got abnormal growths (6)
I believe the answer is:
polyps
'abnormal growths' is the definition.
'polyps' can be an answer for 'growths' (polyp is a kind of growth). I am not sure about the 'abnormal' bit.
'around the beginning of last year pops' is the wordplay.
'around' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'the beginning of' says to take the initial letters.
The initial letters of 'last year' is 'ly'.
'ly' placed inside 'pops' is 'POLYPS'.
'got' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for polyps that I've seen before include "sea anemone forms" , "Such as sea anemones" , "Small growths on mucous membrane as in nose" , "Organisms of which coral is composed" .)