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5 Key Difference between Adjuvant and Neoadjuvant Therapy with Examples

 Difference between Adjuvant and Neoadjuvant Therapy: 

Adjuvant therapy is given after the primary treatment (such as surgery or radiation) to eliminate any remaining cancer cells and reduce the risk of recurrence. 

Neoadjuvant therapy, on the other hand, is administered before the primary treatment with the goal of shrinking the tumor, making it easier to remove through surgery or other interventions.


Difference between Adjuvant and Neoadjuvant Therapy
Difference between Adjuvant and Neoadjuvant Therapy

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Difference between Adjuvant and Neoadjuvant Therapy

Neoadjuvant Therapy Adjuvant Therapy
If doctors deliver the therapy before the primary treatment, they refer to this as neoadjuvant therapy. Adjuvant therapy is any therapeutic method used after surgical resection of a cancerous tumor.
Neoadjuvant therapies are delivered before the main treatment, to help reduce the size of a tumor or kill cancer cells that have spread. Adjuvant therapies are delivered after the primary treatment, to destroy remaining cancer cells.
Neoadjuvant therapy includes: radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy Adjuvant therapy includes radiation therapy, targeted therapy, biological therapy, etc.
Neoadjuvant therapy improves the success of the surgery. Adjuvant therapy reduces the risk of recurrence.
The aim of neoadjuvant therapy is to reduce the size or extent of the tumor before the main intervention. Adjuvant treatment is done with the aim of destroying cancer cells that may still be present in the body after this intervention.

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FAQs on the difference between Adjuvant and Neoadjuvant Therapy: 

Question 1: What is the difference between adjuvant and neoadjuvant treatment?
Answer: Adjuvant treatment is given after the main treatment to prevent cancer from coming back, while neoadjuvant treatment is given before the main treatment to shrink the tumor before surgery.

Question 2: What is the difference between adjuvant and primary therapy?
Answer: Adjuvant therapy is an additional treatment given after the main therapy to ensure all cancer cells are eliminated, whereas primary therapy is the first treatment used to manage the disease.

Question 3: What is the difference between adjuvant and adjunct?
Answer: Adjuvant refers to extra treatment given alongside the main treatment, especially in cancer care, while adjunct refers to something supplementary that aids but may not be directly related to treatment.

Question 4: What is the difference between neoadjuvant and induction?
Answer: Neoadjuvant therapy is given before the main treatment to shrink the tumor, while induction therapy is the initial treatment aimed at quickly reducing the disease before moving to another treatment approach.

Question 5: What are the differences between primary, neoadjuvant, adjuvant, and palliative chemotherapy?
Answer: Primary chemotherapy is the first treatment for cancer, neoadjuvant is given before surgery to shrink the tumor, adjuvant is given after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells, and palliative chemotherapy is aimed at easing symptoms and improving quality of life in advanced cancer cases.

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