On a biopsy report
Residual disease
Also written as Residual tumour, Residual tumor, Residual disease present
What it means
Residual disease means cancer cells that remain after attempts to remove the cancer have been made.
Why it matters
It tells your oncologist how much cancer is left after treatment, which can guide the next step.
Ask your oncologist
"How much residual disease is there, and what does it mean for my next treatment?"
From NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms: residual disease. Not medical advice: your oncologist decides.