Malignancyrelated

Malignancy-related is an adjective used in medical and research contexts to describe characteristics, events, or processes that are specifically associated with malignant neoplasms (cancers) or their consequences. The term is used when the focus is on phenomena arising from cancer itself or its treatment, rather than from non-malignant diseases. In some databases or clinical notes, the term may appear without a hyphen as malignancyrelated.

Examples include malignancy-related pain, fatigue, anorexia, or weight loss that are attributable to the cancer or cancer therapy; malignancy-related thromboembolism; malignancy-related hypercalcemia; and malignancy-related infections due to immunosuppression. In pathology and radiology, malignancy-related findings refer to signs or imaging features linked to malignancy, such as lesions that are cancerous or likely to be cancerous, or complications like metastasis. In epidemiology and palliative care, the term is used to describe symptom burden, functional decline, or quality-of-life impacts that are directly connected to cancer progression or treatment.

The use of the term helps differentiate cancer-specific issues from similar problems caused by other diseases. It is often qualified by context, such as 'malignancy-related symptoms' or 'malignancy-related mortality.' While not inherently a clinical diagnosis, the phrase signals a causal relationship to cancer and is common in clinical notes, research protocols, and guidelines for cancer care.

See also: cancer-related, tumor-related, oncologic complications.