Intermediate
Technical
In the Industry Vocabulary Test
neoadjuvant chemotherapy
Pronunciation: NEE-oh-AD-joo-vant
Chemotherapy administered before primary surgical treatment to shrink tumors and assess response.
Full Definition
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy refers to systemic chemotherapy given prior to definitive local treatment, typically surgery. In orthopedic oncology, it is commonly used for high-grade bone sarcomas such as osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma. The goals include tumor downstaging to facilitate surgery, early treatment of micrometastases, and assessment of chemosensitivity to guide adjuvant therapy. Response is typically evaluated by percentage of tumor necrosis on histopathological examination of the resected specimen.
Usage
Usage note: Always specify the timing relationship to surgery when documenting chemotherapy protocols.
In Context
- "The patient completed three cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with good tolerance." — Treatment summary
- "Neoadjuvant chemotherapy resulted in 90% tumor necrosis, indicating good response." — Pathology report
Also known as
preoperative chemotherapy
induction chemotherapy
Contrasted with
adjuvant chemotherapy
Don't confuse with
adjuvant chemotherapy
palliative chemotherapy