Benignity (from the Latin roots bene- = "well" and -genus = "born"), is a medical term in medical discourse to describe a mild and nonprogressive sickness. The term is most familiar as a description of a non-cancerous (non-malignant) neoplasm, but may also refer to other mild health conditions; means "of no danger to health".

Uses of "benign" in oncology:

• Benign tumor, generally synonymous with benign neoplasm.

Non-oncologic disorders referred to as "benign":

• Benign intracranial hypertension
• Benign myalgic encephalomyelitis
• Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
• Benign prostatic hyperplasia
• Benign tertian malaria (Malaria caused specifically by Plasmodium vivax or Plasmodium ovale)

[edit] See also

• Malignant
• Premalignant