Plural of chancre: a hard, painless ulcer or sore, typically the first sign of syphilis infection.
From French 'chancre', from Latin 'cancer' (crab or tumor). The term originally referred to any type of spreading sore or ulcer, but became specifically associated with syphilis in medical usage during the 16th century.
The primary chancre is one of medicine's most important diagnostic clues—a tiny sore that appears weeks after infection can completely change a patient's treatment path, yet many people don't notice it because it's painless and can be hidden.
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