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. )

Explanation

A symptom or condition is considered precancerous by doctors if it's likely to turn into cancer if it isn't removed or treated. Most doctors recommend surgically removing precancerous skin growths. Most moles are nothing more than spots of pigment on your skin, but occasionally moles are diagnosed as being precancerous, or containing disordered cells at risk of becoming cancerous. Some precancerous growths never turn into cancer, but the slight risk that they might is usually enough to concern medical experts. Some doctors also use the term precancerous to talk about non-aggressive, early forms of cancer.