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malignancy
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Failure of DNA repair mechanismsDNA repair mechanisms maintain the integrity of DNA, which often acquires mutations during replication. If these mechanisms fail, or if the cell does not undergo apoptosis (a genetically encoded cell “suicide”), more mutations may occur, and the cells will proliferate. If the proliferation is slow and localized to the area in which it begins, the result is a benign tumour. With fast, uncontrolled growth and the invasion of other tissues, a malignant tumour arises.
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malignancy

pathology
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Failure of DNA repair mechanismsDNA repair mechanisms maintain the integrity of DNA, which often acquires mutations during replication. If these mechanisms fail, or if the cell does not undergo apoptosis (a genetically encoded cell “suicide”), more mutations may occur, and the cells will proliferate. If the proliferation is slow and localized to the area in which it begins, the result is a benign tumour. With fast, uncontrolled growth and the invasion of other tissues, a malignant tumour arises.
Failure of DNA repair mechanisms

DNA repair mechanisms maintain the integrity of DNA, which often acquires mutations during replication. If these mechanisms fail, or if the cell does not undergo apoptosis (a genetically encoded cell “suicide”), more mutations may occur, and the cells will proliferate. If the proliferation is slow and localized to the area in which it begins, the result is a benign tumour. With fast, uncontrolled growth and the invasion of other tissues, a malignant tumour arises.

Malignancy refers to the ability of a tumor to cause death. This is characterized by the tumor's inherent tendency to invade widely and spread to distant sites through processes like metastasis. Unlike benign tumors, which remain localized, malignant tumors possess cells that can detach, travel through the circulatory or lymphatic systems, and establish secondary tumors in other parts of the body. This aggressive spread disrupts organ function and is the defining characteristic of cancerous growth. Malignant tumors are also known as cancer.1234

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8 Britannica Sources
  1. metastasis
  2. malignancy
  3. cancer - Hallmarks of cancer cells
  4. tumour
  5. cancer - Malignant tumors and benign tumors
  6. malignant tumor
  7. cancer - Nomenclature of malignant tumors
  8. list of cancers

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