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Welcome to Adjuvant therapy for breast cancer guide
By Mayo Clinic staff
You've just had, or soon will have, an operation to remove one or more invasive tumors from your breast. Your doctor wants you to consider an additional form of breast cancer treatment called adjuvant therapy.
The term "adjuvant" means something that helps or contributes. Adjuvant therapy uses chemotherapy drugs, radiation, hormone therapy, targeted therapy or a combination of these to help destroy any cancer cells that were not removed during your breast cancer operation. Its goal is to decrease the risk of your breast cancer coming back.
Your decision about adjuvant therapy for breast cancer is a complex one. There's no one right answer for all women. Potential benefits vary depending on your situation, and there are costs, including potential side effects and problems caused by the therapy itself. You have to weigh both short-term and long-term effects and outcomes.
Adjuvant therapy options presented here are intended for women with invasive breast cancer. This guide is not intended for women with noninvasive ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) tumors or lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) tumors.
Breast cancer adjuvant therapy options
