This border is called the surgical margin.
A pathologist will then examine this margin to determine if all the cancer cells in that area are gone.
The tumor is usually “inked” on the edges.
Verywell / Gary Ferster
This allows the pathologist to clearly see the end of the tumor.
Close marginsfound after a lumpectomy might require another surgical procedure, called a re-excision.
Summary
Determining surgical margins with breast cancer surgery is very important for the oncologist to know.
The goal of removing the tumor is to reduce the risk of cancer returning in the future.
Having negative, or clear margins can reduce the risk.
Read more about aphyllodes breast cancer tumor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Good margins are generally an area of healthy tissue after cancer has been removed.
The exact size of the clear margin may depend upon the surgeon’s judgment.
A positive margin means there are cancer cells at the edge of the tissue that was removed.
This could mean that there are still cancer cells left in the body.
Clear margins in breast cancer mean that enough healthy tissue surrounding the cancerous tissue was removed during surgery.
This is usually the goal of breast cancer surgery.
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