What is immunotherapy and how does it work against cancer?

Adjuvant therapy for breast cancer is a type of treatment used to help reduce the risk of a cancer coming back after surgery. It is typically given after surgery and/or radiation when cancer has not spread beyond the original tumor site. The purpose of adjuvant therapy is to kill any residual tumor cells that may not have been visible on imaging tests or removed during surgery.

Adjuvant therapies for breast cancer can include chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and targeted therapies such as HER2 inhibitors. Chemotherapy attacks rapidly dividing cells in order to destroy any remaining tumor cells. Hormone therapy works by blocking hormones (estrogen and progesterone) that stimulate some types of breast cancers to grow while targeting therapies use medications or antibodies/monoclonal antibodies to target specific proteins on the surface of tumor cells in order to stop their growth and development or even destroy them completely.

Each individual’s adjuvant treatment plan depends on various factors such as type, stage, size, grade, hormone receptor status of the tumor; age; menopausal status; patient’s overall health condition etc. Therefore it’s important for each patient with breast cancer undergoing surgical removal of her primary tumor should consult with an experienced oncologist in order to determine what kind(s) of adjuvant therapies are best suited for his/her particular situation.