Margin analysis on patient level
tumor
TUMOR
The 14 tumor-positive margins were detected in the surgical specimens of 13 patients with a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI 84.9–100%) on the patient level (for specificity, see below). In 10 of these 13 patients, margin status was the independent indication for adjuvant chemoradiotherapy, and in three cases, it was also indicated based on tumor characteristics or lymph node involvement. A total of 37 close margins were observed in 34 patients on final histopathology; 26 of these close margins in 23 patients were detected with FMI with a sensitivity of 67.4% (95% CI 64.2–71.1%) on the patient level. In the latter group, radiotherapy was indicated solely on margin status in 20 patients. Finally, 17 margins in 14 patients showed false-positive resulting in a specificity of 41.7% (95% CI 40.0–43.0%) on the patient level, meaning unnecessary adjuvant resections would have been advised in these cases.