Adjuvant therapy

Adjuvant therapy is used to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence and improve survival. It is usually given after patients have had radical (i.e. potentially curative) treatment targeting the primary tumour, but there are some circumstances where treatment is given beforehand (termed ‘neoadjuvant’). The aim of therapy is either to improve local tumour control, or to reduce the risk of distant relapse. Selecting patients who benefit from treatment can be difficult, and decisions must take into account both the patient and tumour characteristics. In this article we review the basic principles of adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapy, focussing on breast and colorectal cancer. We also discuss the potential adverse effects of therapy and conclude by looking at potential future developments.