resectabele

Resectable, or resectabele in Dutch, is a medical term used to describe a tumor or disease process that can be surgically removed with the aim of achieving complete, margin-negative resection and acceptable functional outcome. The concept is tumor-specific and hinges on whether the lesion can be removed without leaving macroscopic or microscopic disease and without causing undue harm to the patient.

Determining resectability involves assessment of the tumor’s size and location, its relation to adjacent organs and critical structures (such as major blood vessels, airways, or bile ducts), and the absence of detectable metastases. Imaging studies (CT, MRI, PET-CT) and, in some cases, diagnostic laparoscopy are used to evaluate these factors. Patient factors, including performance status and comorbidities, also influence resectability.

Resectability is often categorized as resectable, borderline resectable, or unresectable, with criteria varying by cancer type. For example, pancreatic cancer guidelines define resectable tumors as those without encasement or unreconstructible involvement of major vessels; borderline cases may require vascular reconstruction or neoadjuvant therapy. In liver metastases, a limited number and size of lesions may be considered resectable if enough healthy liver remains. The assessment is dynamic: neoadjuvant therapy can downstage tumors and convert borderline cases to resectable.

R0 resection refers to complete tumor removal with negative margins; R1 indicates microscopic residual disease, and R2 denotes macroscopic residual tumor. Resectability is a key determinant of prognosis and is guided by multidisciplinary teams and cancer-site guidelines.