One embodiment of the present application sets forth a method for predicting recurrence of cancerous cells in a patient that includes measuring, by a first subset of electrodes included in an electrode array operating at a first frequency, a first impedance of a first section of a first sample of tissue excised from the patient, computing a first Cole relaxation frequency for the first section of the first sample based on the first impedance, and generating a first prediction relating to cancerous cells in the patient based at least in part on the first Cole relaxation frequency.