Listen to pronunciation. (muh-LIG-nunt) Cancerous. Malignant cells can invade and destroy nearby tissue and spread to other parts of the body.

Does malignancy mean cancer?

Malignant tumors are cancerous. They develop when cells grow uncontrollably. If the cells continue to grow and spread, the disease can become life threatening. Malignant tumors can grow quickly and spread to other parts of the body in a process called metastasis.

What does it mean if its malignant?

Malignant means that the tumor is made of cancer cells, and it can invade nearby tissues. Some cancer cells can move into the bloodstream or lymph nodes, where they can spread to other tissues within the body—this is called metastasis.