How effective is adjuvant therapy?

Because none of these treatments is completely harmless, it's important to determine the risks of adjuvant therapy versus the benefits. The following factors can help you and your doctor determine whether adjuvant therapy is appropriate for you and, if so, which type:

• Type of cancer. Treating certain types of cancer, such as breast and colon cancer, with adjuvant therapy can be very beneficial. For some other types of cancer, there might not be a benefit.
• Stage of cancer. A cancer's stage refers to the extent of the cancer. If the cancer is at a very early stage — before it has had time to spread — then the chance of cancer recurring after surgery may be very small. Adjuvant therapy may offer little benefit in this case. But if a cancer is at a later stage or it has spread to nearby lymph nodes, adjuvant therapy may be more beneficial.
• Number of lymph nodes involved. The more lymph nodes involved, the greater the chance that cancer cells will be left behind after local therapy, such as surgery.
• Hormone receptivity. Hormone therapy won't be effective if your tumor is not hormonally sensitive.
• Other cancer-specific changes. Certain cancers may have specific changes within their cells that indicate the likelihood that your cancer will return, making adjuvant therapy more likely to be beneficial. If tests show your cancer is unlikely to recur, adjuvant therapy may offer little benefit.

Receiving adjuvant therapy doesn't guarantee your cancer won't recur. It can, however, help reduce the risk that your cancer will come back.