Which additional treatment might be included in adjuvant therapy after primary surgery for breast cancer?

Adjuvant therapy refers to additional treatment given after the primary treatment, which is typically surgery, to increase the chances of a cure and to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence. In the case of breast cancer, chemotherapy is often included in adjuvant therapy.

Chemotherapy involves the use of drugs to kill cancer cells or to stop their growth. It is particularly beneficial for patients with aggressive cancer types, or those with positive lymph nodes, where there is a higher risk of recurrence. The goal of adjuvant chemotherapy is to eliminate any residual cancer cells that might remain after surgery, thus reducing the likelihood that the cancer will return.

In contrast, surgery is already included as primary treatment, and adding another surgery may not provide additional benefit in the context of adjuvant therapy. Physical therapy may help with recovery after surgery but does not directly target cancer cells or address recurrence, and diagnostic imaging is primarily used for detecting cancer rather than treating it. Therefore, chemotherapy stands out as a critical component of adjuvant therapy for breast cancer treatment.