Neoadjuvant Therapy
Also known as: pre-operative therapy, induction therapy
Treatment given before the main therapy (usually surgery) to shrink the tumour first.
Definition
Neoadjuvant therapy is treatment given before the main definitive therapy — usually before surgery — to shrink the tumour, make it easier to remove, and tackle any microscopic disease that may have already spread. It can take the form of chemotherapy, radiation, chemoradiation, hormonal therapy, targeted therapy or immunotherapy.
It is now standard for many breast, rectal, oesophageal, stomach and bladder cancers. An added benefit is that the team can directly see how well the tumour responded, which provides important prognostic information and guides further adjuvant treatment.
See also
- Adjuvant Therapy — Additional treatment given after surgery to lower the risk of cancer coming back.
- Chemoradiation — Chemotherapy and radiation given together to make each treatment more effective.
- Chemotherapy — Drug treatment that kills cancer cells throughout the body.
- Targeted Therapy — Drugs designed to attack specific molecules involved in cancer growth, with less harm to normal cells.
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Medically reviewed by
Dr. Rehan Abdullah
Dr. Rehan Abdullah is a dual-trained clinical and radiation oncologist with over a decade of experience treating both solid tumours and hematologic malignancies. He serves as Consultant Oncologist at INMOL Hospital and sees patients at Farooq Hospital and Healthnox Medical Center, Lahore. Read full profile →
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