Adjuvant Therapy
Adjuvant therapy is additional treatment given after the main cancer treatment to reduce the risk that microscopic remaining cancer cells cause recurrence.
Key takeaways
- The term describes when treatment is used, not one particular medicine or cancer type.
- Expected benefit depends on tumour stage, biological markers, recurrence risk and how much risk reduction matters to the patient.
- Follow-up must address both cancer control and treatment effects, which may continue after therapy ends.
The listings below are examples only; an oncology team determines whether adjuvant treatment offers a worthwhile benefit.
What treatment may include
Depending on the cancer, adjuvant therapy may involve chemotherapy, endocrine treatment, targeted therapy, immunotherapy or radiotherapy. Pathology and molecular tests help identify which approach can act on the tumour’s specific features. Some lower-risk cancers need no additional therapy after definitive local treatment.
Balancing benefit and harm
Decisions compare the estimated reduction in recurrence with short- and long-term adverse effects. Monitoring may include blood counts, organ function, bone health or heart assessment according to the treatment. New symptoms should be reported to the treating team rather than managed by stopping therapy independently.
When to seek urgent care
Contact the oncology team urgently for fever during systemic treatment, uncontrolled vomiting, severe diarrhoea, breathing difficulty, chest pain, confusion, uncontrolled bleeding or signs of a severe allergic reaction.