adjuvant therapy

treatment given to patients, usually after surgical removal of their primary tumour when there is known to be a high risk of future tumour recurrence. Adjuvant therapy is aimed at destroying these microscopic tumour cells either locally (e.g. adjuvant breast irradiation after breast-conserving surgery) or systemically (e.g. adjuvant chemotherapy may be recommended for patients with breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and other types of cancer). Compare NEOADJUVANT CHEMOTHERAPY .