nonprogressing

Nonprogressing is an adjective used to describe a condition, lesion, or clinical course that remains stable over time and does not show measurable progression. In contrast to progressive conditions, where features such as size, severity, or functional impact worsen, nonprogressing conditions exhibit little or no change across serial assessments within a defined time frame. The term is used across medical and research contexts to convey stability rather than improvement or deterioration, though the specific criteria for what constitutes progression vary by condition and study.

In medical literature, nonprogressing may refer to diseases with a stable course, benign lesions that do not enlarge, or developmental or congenital features that persist without worsening. It can also describe a patient's symptoms when they remain constant rather than worsening, even if residual deficits remain. The concept relies on longitudinal observation and is sensitive to the chosen interval and measurement methods.

Nonprogressing is sometimes replaced by synonyms such as stable, stationary, or nonworsening; in modern clinical writing, precise definitions and objective criteria are preferred. The term invites careful specification of the time frame, the parameters measured (clinical signs, imaging, laboratory data), and the population studied to avoid ambiguity.

See also: progression, stability, static disease, remission, natural history.