Neoadjuvant chemotherapy
Encyclopedia
Neoadjuvant therapy
is the administration of therapeutic agents before a main treatment. One example is neoadjuvant hormone
therapy prior to radical radiotherapy for adenocarcinoma
of the prostate
. Neoadjuvant therapy aims to reduce the size or extent of the cancer before using radical treatment intervention, thus making procedures easier and more likely to succeed, and reducing the consequences of a more extensive treatment technique that would be required if the tumor wasn't reduced in size or extent.
This systemic therapy (chemotherapy
, immunotherapy
or hormone therapy) or radiation therapy is commonly used in cancers that are locally advanced - where clinicians plan an operation at a later stage. The use of such therapy can effectively reduce the difficulty and morbidity of more extensive procedures.
The use of therapy can turn a tumour from untreatable to treatable by shrinking the volume down. Often it can be unclear which surrounding structures are directly involved in the disease and which are just showing signs of inflammation. By administering therapy a distinction can often be made. Some doctors give the therapy in the hope that a response will be seen so that they can then decide what is the best course of action. Unfortunately, not everyone is suitable for therapy in this way because it can be extremely toxic. Some cases react so severely that further treatments, especially surgery, are precluded because the patient is rendered unfit for anesthetic.
Common tumors that use this concept:
Therapy
This is a list of types of therapy .* Adventure therapy* Animal-assisted therapy* Aquatic therapy* Aromatherapy* Art and dementia* Art therapy* Authentic Movement* Behavioral therapy* Bibliotherapy* Buteyko Method* Chemotherapy...
is the administration of therapeutic agents before a main treatment. One example is neoadjuvant hormone
Hormone
A hormone is a chemical released by a cell or a gland in one part of the body that sends out messages that affect cells in other parts of the organism. Only a small amount of hormone is required to alter cell metabolism. In essence, it is a chemical messenger that transports a signal from one...
therapy prior to radical radiotherapy for adenocarcinoma
Adenocarcinoma
Adenocarcinoma is a cancer of an epithelium that originates in glandular tissue. Epithelial tissue includes, but is not limited to, the surface layer of skin, glands and a variety of other tissue that lines the cavities and organs of the body. Epithelium can be derived embryologically from...
of the prostate
Prostate
The prostate is a compound tubuloalveolar exocrine gland of the male reproductive system in most mammals....
. Neoadjuvant therapy aims to reduce the size or extent of the cancer before using radical treatment intervention, thus making procedures easier and more likely to succeed, and reducing the consequences of a more extensive treatment technique that would be required if the tumor wasn't reduced in size or extent.
This systemic therapy (chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with an antineoplastic drug or with a combination of such drugs into a standardized treatment regimen....
, immunotherapy
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is a medical term defined as the "treatment of disease by inducing, enhancing, or suppressing an immune response". Immunotherapies designed to elicit or amplify an immune response are classified as activation immunotherapies. While immunotherapies that reduce or suppress are...
or hormone therapy) or radiation therapy is commonly used in cancers that are locally advanced - where clinicians plan an operation at a later stage. The use of such therapy can effectively reduce the difficulty and morbidity of more extensive procedures.
The use of therapy can turn a tumour from untreatable to treatable by shrinking the volume down. Often it can be unclear which surrounding structures are directly involved in the disease and which are just showing signs of inflammation. By administering therapy a distinction can often be made. Some doctors give the therapy in the hope that a response will be seen so that they can then decide what is the best course of action. Unfortunately, not everyone is suitable for therapy in this way because it can be extremely toxic. Some cases react so severely that further treatments, especially surgery, are precluded because the patient is rendered unfit for anesthetic.
Common tumors that use this concept:
- Breast cancerBreast cancerBreast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
- Colorectal cancerColorectal cancerColorectal cancer, commonly known as bowel cancer, is a cancer caused by uncontrolled cell growth , in the colon, rectum, or vermiform appendix. Colorectal cancer is clinically distinct from anal cancer, which affects the anus....
- Lung cancerLung cancerLung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
- Esophageal cancerEsophageal cancerEsophageal cancer is malignancy of the esophagus. There are various subtypes, primarily squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma . Squamous cell cancer arises from the cells that line the upper part of the esophagus...