Biopsy and pathology
What Do Margins Mean on a Pathology Report?
Margins · say it: MAR-jinzAlso written: surgical margins, resection margins, clear margins, positive margins, close margins
Short answer
Margins are the edges of tissue removed in surgery. The pathologist checks whether abnormal cells reach those edges.
What it means
When a surgeon removes a growth, they usually take a rim of normal-looking tissue around it. After surgery, the pathologist inks the outer edges of the tissue and looks at them under the microscope.
"Clear" or "negative" margins mean no abnormal cells were found at the edge. "Positive" or "involved" margins mean abnormal cells reach the edge. "Close" margins mean abnormal cells are near the edge but not touching it.
Margin results help doctors decide whether further surgery or other treatment might be useful. What counts as "close" depends on the tissue type and local guidelines.
Where you may see it
- Surgical pathology reports after removal of a growth
- Skin excision reports
- Oncology and surgical letters
📄 How it looks on a report
Margins: Clear. Closest margin (deep) is 3 mm.
🙅 What it does not mean
- Clear margins do not rule out abnormal cells elsewhere in the body. They describe only the removed tissue.
- A positive margin does not always mean another operation. Doctors consider several options.
- Margin distances do not have one universal cut-off. It varies by tissue type.
🗒️ Questions to ask your doctor
🧾 Reports where you will see “Margins”
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🔗 Read more from trusted sources
- “Margins” on MedlinePlus ↗
US National Library of Medicine
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General information about a medical word, not advice about your own results. Ask the clinician who ordered the test what it means for you.