precancerous

American  

[pree-kan-ser-uhs] / priˈkæn sər əs /

adjective

1. showing pathological changes that may be preliminary to malignancy.

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precancerous British  

adjective

1. (esp of cells) displaying characteristics that may develop into cancer

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Etymology

Origin of precancerous

1880–85; pre- ( def. ) + cancerous ( def. )

Example Sentences

Cervical-cancer rates in the U.S. have dropped significantly since the 1970s thanks to widespread screening for precancerous cells and the rollout of the HPV vaccine.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 5, 2026

Colon and rectal cancer rates have risen among younger adults as rates have declined among older people, who are far more likely to get colonoscopies that can catch cancers and precancerous lesions called polyps.

From New York Times • May 24, 2024

However, an in-person colonoscopy is preferable because it can detect precancerous growths that doctors can remove.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 13, 2024

Oral cancers and precancerous mouth lesions are considered especially difficult to diagnose early and accurately.

From Science Daily • Mar. 4, 2024

It involved scraping cells from the cervix with a curved glass pipette and examining them under a microscope for precancerous changes that TeLinde and a few others had identified years earlier.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot