Neoplastisation

Neoplastisation is a term used in pathology and cancer biology to describe the process by which normal cells or tissues acquire neoplastic properties, leading to the formation of neoplasms. It encompasses the steps of neoplastic transformation and tumorigenesis, resulting in benign or malignant growths that may persist, expand, or invade surrounding tissue.

Most neoplastisation reflects accumulating genetic and epigenetic alterations that disrupt normal controls of cell proliferation and survival. Key drivers include activation of oncogenes, inactivation of tumor suppressor genes, and maintenance of telomeres; epigenetic drift; genomic instability; altered signaling pathways such as PI3K/AKT/mTOR, RAS/RAF, and WNT; evasion of apoptosis; and metabolic reprogramming. These changes foster sustained proliferative signaling, resistance to cell death, and the capacity for growth in abnormal environments.

Progression to clinically detectable neoplasms usually involves clonal expansion of a transformed cell, intratumoral heterogeneity, and evolutionary selection under microenvironmental pressures. Malignant neoplastisation enables invasion of adjacent tissues and, in many cancers, metastasis, making the disease more difficult to treat and control.

Variations in terminology: neoplastisation is not widely used as a formal designation in all textbooks; more common terms are neoplastic transformation or tumorigenesis. The concept is distinguished from reversible processes such as hyperplasia or metaplasia. Risk factors include genetic predisposition, environmental carcinogens, chronic inflammation, and age.