Malignancy: Definition and Key Characteristics

Malignancy refers to the behavior of cancerous cells characterized by:

• Invasiveness: Ability to infiltrate and destroy surrounding tissue.
• Metastasis: Spread to distant sites via blood, lymph, or direct extension.
• Uncontrolled proliferation: Rapid, autonomous growth.

Benign tumors lack these traits; they are non-cancerous, localized, and do not metastasize.