Treatment: Radiation, Chemo & Targeted
Adjuvant chemotherapy
Adjuvant chemotherapy is chemotherapy given after primary treatment (like surgery and radiation) to target remaining tumor cells.
In short: Adjuvant chemotherapy
- It is chemotherapy given after primary treatment.
- It targets remaining tumor cells.
- It aims to reduce the chance of recurrence or progression.
- The temozolomide cycles after chemoradiation are an example.
What it is
Adjuvant chemotherapy is chemotherapy given after the primary treatment (such as surgery and radiation) to target any remaining tumor cells and reduce the chance of recurrence or progression. In glioblastoma, the additional temozolomide cycles given after chemoradiation are an example of adjuvant chemotherapy.
Understanding Adjuvant chemotherapy
"Adjuvant" means given in addition to, and after, the main treatment. The idea is that even after surgery and radiation, microscopic tumor cells may remain (especially in diffuse gliomas), and adjuvant chemotherapy aims to treat these to delay or prevent recurrence. In the Stupp protocol for glioblastoma, after the concurrent chemoradiation phase, several monthly cycles of temozolomide are given as adjuvant therapy. Adjuvant chemotherapy is also used in other gliomas — for example, in oligodendrogliomas and some astrocytomas, chemotherapy after radiation can improve outcomes. The choice, type, and duration of adjuvant chemotherapy depend on the tumor's type, grade, and molecular features. Adjuvant therapy is part of the overall, multi-step treatment plan designed to maximize the chance of controlling the tumor. Understanding adjuvant chemotherapy in gliomas clarifies chemotherapy given after primary treatment to target remaining cells.
Why it matters
Understanding adjuvant chemotherapy helps patients and families see why chemotherapy continues after surgery and radiation — to target remaining tumor cells and reduce the chance of recurrence, as part of the overall plan.
Common questions
What is adjuvant chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy given after primary treatment.
What is its goal?
To target remaining tumor cells and reduce recurrence.
What is an example?
The temozolomide cycles after chemoradiation in glioblastoma.
Bottom line
Adjuvant chemotherapy is chemotherapy given after primary treatment to target remaining tumor cells and reduce the chance of recurrence, as part of the overall plan.
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