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Neo-adjuvant Chemotherapy

Neo-adjuvant therapy refers to the use of another form of treatment in addition to and prior to the curative procedure or treatment of a cancer. The goal is to improve the chances of cure of a cancer. Imagine a 55-year-old man with a large rectal cancer. The standard treatment in the past was to remove the cancer and perform a Colostomy. Newer treatments consist of chemotherapy with radiation prior to surgery. The goal is to shrink the cancer prior to surgery so that less surgery is necessary, thereby avoiding a Colostomy. This is called Neo-adjuvant therapy.

The same is true for patients with early stomach, esophageal or breast cancer, who may have chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy first, followed by surgery. This procedure should reduce the risk of relapse of the cancer and increase the chances of cure.