neoadjuvant

American  

[nee-oh-aj-uh-vuhnt] / ˌni oʊˈædʒ ə vənt /

adjective

Medicine/Medical.

1. utilizing drugs, radiation therapy, or other means of supplemental treatment before cancer surgery or other primary cancer treatment.

   Her neoadjuvant therapy included hormones and chemo, which shrank the tumor prior to its surgical removal.

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Etymology

Origin of neoadjuvant

First recorded in 1980–85; neo- ( def. ) + adjuvant ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

neoadjuvant

All of the women underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy, a treatment given before surgery to shrink tumors and make them easier to remove.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 28, 2026

These findings add to recent success seen with neoadjuvant nivolumab plus chemotherapy in NSCLC.

From Science Daily ● May 15, 2024

For resectable NSCLC, previous studies have shown some benefit from using adjuvant or neoadjuvant immunotherapy, but Heymach explained the benefits have been modest so far.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 23, 2023

"Our goal is to increase cures for lung cancer. Throughout decades of research with adjuvant and neoadjuvant chemotherapy, we only succeeded in increasing cures by around 5%,"

From Science Daily ● Oct. 23, 2023

Still, the race is on in both the adjuvant and neoadjuvant setting, where treatment precedes surgery.

From Reuters ● Jul. 6, 2018