>There are a couple of things here. First, something inoperable a few years ago might be operable today. The technology for surgery continues to improve.
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>Second, there's a continuum. Some tumors are clearly operable, while others are clearly inoperable. In between, there's a gray area (not to be confused with "gray matter" <s>) where doctors might reasonably differ about whether a tumor is operable and whether it's worth operating on.
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>Third, with almost any serious medical decision, it's wise to get a second opinion.
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>Tamar

I think it's all about possible outcomes. Anything is operable, but the probable outcome for a given procedure may make the family decide whether or not to roll the dice.