title: Residual tumor (R) classification and prognosis.
abstract: The tumor status following treatment is described by the residual tumor (R) classification: R0, no residual tumor; R1, microscopic residual tumor; R2, macroscopic residual tumor. Residual tumor may be found in the area of primary tumor and its regional lymph nodes and/or at distant sites. The R classification reflects the effects of treatment and influences further treatment planning. Furthermore, the R classification is a strong predictor of prognosis. An acceptable long-term prognosis can be expected only in R0 patients. Although there exist clear correlations between stage and R classification the differences in prognosis of R0 versus R1,2 cannot be explained by differences in stage alone. The prognostic significance of R classification is demonstrated by respective data for non-small cell lung carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma of oesophagus, gastric carcinoma, ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas, colorectal carcinoma, lung and liver metastases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hermanek
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wittekind
mesh_terms: D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000401:mortality; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000401:mortality; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality; D005544:Forecasting; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011379:Prognosis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate