A
precancerous condition or
premalignant condition, sometimes called a
potentially precancerous condition or
potentially premalignant condition, is a state of disordered
morphology of
cells that is associated with an increased risk of
cancer. If left untreated, these conditions may lead to cancer. Such conditions are usually either
dysplasia or
benign neoplasia (and the dividing line between those is sometimes blurry). Sometimes the term "precancer" is used to describe
carcinoma in situ, which is a noninvasive cancer that has not progressed to an aggressive, invasive stage. Not all carcinoma in situ will progress to invasive disease.