cancerous growth

/ˈkænsərəs ɡroʊθ/ · can·ser·ous growth

noun

A tumor or mass of tissue that is malignant and capable of invading surrounding tissues. The biopsy confirmed that the patient’s lung mass was a cancerous growth.
Any abnormal proliferation of cells that exhibits the characteristics of cancer. Early detection of a cancerous growth can dramatically improve treatment outcomes.

Synonyms

malignant tumor neoplasm carcinoma malignancy tumor cancerous tumor malignant growth cancerous lesion

Antonyms

benign growth noncancerous growth harmless tumor benign tumor non‑malignant lesion innocuous mass

Did you know? The phrase "cancerous growth" appeared in medical journals as early as the 1820s, shortly after the word "cancer" was adopted from Latin into English.

Related terms

tumor oncology metastasis biopsy malignancy sarcoma

Written by Lexi Wordsworth, Dictionary Editor 1 lookups Added Jul 24, 2026