What is the term for the surgical removal of a neoplasm?

The surgical removal of a neoplasm is commonly referred to as excision. This term specifically describes the process of cutting out a tumor or abnormal growth and is often used in the context of complete removal of a mass that could potentially be cancerous or has already been diagnosed as malignant.

Excision is an important surgical procedure as it helps in obtaining an accurate diagnosis if the tissue is sent for histopathological examination and can also be curative if all cancerous cells are successfully removed.

Other terms like resection, typically relate to the removal of part of an organ (for example, a lobectomy of the lung), while ablation generally refers to the destruction of tissue rather than its physical removal. A biopsy, on the other hand, is a procedure to sample tissue for diagnostic purposes. Therefore, this comprehensive understanding highlights why excision is the most appropriate term for the complete surgical removal of a neoplasm.