Medical Definition of Malignant

In medicine, the word malignant is a term referring to a condition that is

dangerous to health. While it is often used interchangeably with cancer, the
term is also used to describe medical and psychological conditions other than
cancer that are dangerous or ominous.

Synonyms of malignant in medicine include cancer, virulent, or malevolent

Malignant Neoplasms
A malignant neoplasm is composed of cells that look less like the normal cell of
origin. It has a higher rate of proliferation. It can potentially invade and
metastasize. Malignant neoplasms derived from epithelial cells are called
carcinomas. Those derived from mesenchymal (connective tissue) cells are
called sarcomas. Malignant brain neoplasms and neoplasms of the immune
system are special categories with complex nomenclature.

Characteristics of Malignant Tumors

In describing the characteristics of malignant or cancerous tumors, it's easiest to do so by
discussing both the similarities and differences (sometimes surprising) between these
tumors and benign or noncancerous tumors.

Similarities to Benign Tumors

Some ways in which benign and malignant tumors are similar include:

Size: Both benign and malignant tumors can grow to be quite large. For example, uterine
fibroids, a benign tumor, can grow to become as large as a basketball3 .

Ability to Cause Damage: When benign tumors occur in the closed space of the brain, or
in sensitive regions such as near nerves, the eye, or the heart, they can be very damaging,
even though they do not spread to other regions of the body. Benign tumors can also be
disfiguring depending upon their location.4
Local Recurrence: Both benign and malignant tumors may come back after they are
treated. The difference is that malignant tumors may come back in different regions of the
body to which they have spread, whereas benign tumors will only recur in the location
where they were initially found.

How Malignant Tumors Differ from Benign Tumors

Some of the ways that malignant (cancerous) tumors

differ from benign tumors include:
Invasion of Nearby Tissues: Malignant tumors have poor boundaries. Unlike benign
tumors which can press on nearby structures, malignant tumors can penetrate into nearby
structures.1 The term "cancer" comes from the word crab or claw, which refers to these
finger-like projections invading tissues near the tumor.

Ability to Spread (metastasize): Unlike benign tumors, malignant tumor cells have the
ability to break away from the tumor and travel (metastasize), either locally, or through the
bloodstream or lymphatic system. Many believe that most deaths from cancer (roughly
90%) occur due to this ability of malignant tumors to spread.

Likelihood and Location of Recurrence: Benign tumors may recur after removal, in the
region where they were first located. In contrast, malignant tumors recur more often, and
may recur locally (as with benign tumors), regionally (for example, in lymph nodes near the
original tumor), or distantly (in organs or regions far from the original tumor)6 .

Cells: There are many important differences between benign and malignant cells. Cancer
cells can be distinguished from normal cells by microscopic examination. They are usually
less well differentiated than normal cells or benign tumor cells. In a specific tissue,
malignant cells usually exhibit the characteristics of rapidly growing cells, that is, a high
nucleus-to-cytoplasm ratio, prominent nucleoli, many mitoses, and relatively little
specialized structure. The presence of invading cells in an otherwise normal tissue section
is the most diagnostic indication of a malignancy.
 Benign tumors Malignant tumors

Not cancerous Cancerous

Don't invade surrounding tissue May invade surrounding tissue

Don't spread to other parts of the body May spread to other parts of the body

Grow slowly Grow quickly

Are not likely to recur Are more likely to recur

Have a smooth, regular shape May have an uneven shape

Move around when pushed on Don't move around when pushed on

May or may not require treatment Require treatment