What does residual disease specifically signify following cancer therapy?

Answer

Cancer cells that are still present despite standard tests showing no cancer

In oncology, residual disease refers specifically to malignant cells that survive the intended eradication therapy, which might include chemotherapy, radiation, or surgical excision. Achieving a clinical state where standard diagnostic tools, such as physical examinations or imaging scans, indicate no evidence of cancer does not guarantee that every single malignant cell has been eliminated from the body. Therefore, the disease that remains, even if currently undetectable by conventional clinical methods, is categorized as residual disease. This highlights a crucial distinction: the difference between having no *detectable* disease versus having absolutely *no* disease at all.

What does residual disease specifically signify following cancer therapy?

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