precancerous
adjective
pre·can·cer·ous
(ˌ)prē-ˈkan(t)s-rəs 
-ˈkan(t)-sə-
: tending to become cancerous
a precancerous lesion
Examples of precancerous in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Shield detects just 13% of precancerous polyps, while Cologuard detects about 42%.
—
Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC news, 15 Feb. 2026
Jangouk doesn't recommend the blood or stool test because of the rates of false positives and false negatives and the chances of missing a precancerous polyp.
—Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 14 Feb. 2026
But an abnormal Pap—which happens when some cells in your cervix look different from normal ones—could signal precancerous cell changes (that are otherwise asymptomatic) or even early-stage cancer.
—Julia Sullivan, SELF, 4 Feb. 2026
One patient’s colonoscopy uncovers three polyps, including one large enough to concern doctors, demonstrating why early screening can catch precancerous growths.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for precancerous
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Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC news, 15 Feb. 2026
Jangouk doesn't recommend the blood or stool test because of the rates of false positives and false negatives and the chances of missing a precancerous polyp.
—Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 14 Feb. 2026
But an abnormal Pap—which happens when some cells in your cervix look different from normal ones—could signal precancerous cell changes (that are otherwise asymptomatic) or even early-stage cancer.
—Julia Sullivan, SELF, 4 Feb. 2026
One patient’s colonoscopy uncovers three polyps, including one large enough to concern doctors, demonstrating why early screening can catch precancerous growths.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for precancerous
Cite this Entry
“Precancerous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/precancerous. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
precancerous
adjective
pre·can·cer·ous
-ˈkan(t)s-(ə-)rəs
: tending to become cancerous : premalignant
a precancerous lesion
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