What term describes a group of diseases characterized by abnormal cell division?

Cancer is characterized by the uncontrolled and abnormal division of cells. Under normal circumstances, cells grow, divide, and die in a regulated manner. However, cancerous cells escape these controls, leading to unchecked growth which can form tumors. This abnormal cell division can occur in various tissues of the body and can spread to other areas, a process known as metastasis.

In this context, the other terms do not accurately describe the specific nature of abnormal cell division. Infections result from pathogens like bacteria or viruses invading the body but do not entail cell division processes. Autoimmune disorders occur when the body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues but do not involve the unchecked growth of cells. Genetic disorders are caused by abnormalities in genes or chromosomes, but they do not necessarily pertain to the abnormal growth patterns associated with cancer. Thus, cancer is the only term that directly relates to a group of diseases defined by abnormal cell division.