On a biopsy report
Negative margin (R0 resection)
Also written as Margins negative, Margin free, Clear margins, Margins clear, R0 resection, Free of tumour
What it means
The margin is the edge of the tissue removed in surgery. A negative or clean margin means the pathologist found no cancer cells at the edge. This suggests all of the cancer was removed.
Why it matters
A clean margin suggests the surgery removed the visible cancer. Your oncologist decides what further treatment, if any, is needed.
Ask your oncologist
"With clean margins, what treatment do you recommend after surgery?"
From NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms: margin. Not medical advice: your oncologist decides.