Which treatments are used as adjuvant therapies?

Types of cancer treatment that are used as adjuvant therapy include:

• Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body.
• Hormone therapy. For cancers sensitive to hormones, certain treatments can stop hormone production in your body or block the effect of hormones.
• Radiation therapy. Radiation therapy uses high-powered energy beams, such as X-rays or protons, to kill cancer cells. It can be given internally or externally.
• Immunotherapy. Immunotherapy works with your body's immune system to fight off any remaining cancer cells by stimulating your body's own defenses or supplementing them.
• Targeted therapy. Targeted therapy is designed to alter specific abnormalities present within cancer cells. For example, a targeted therapy is available to block the action of a protein called human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) in women with breast cancer.