neoadjuvant
adjective
neo·ad·ju·vant
ˌnē-ō-ˈa-jə-vənt 
medical
: of, relating to, or being treatment (such as chemotherapy or hormone therapy) administered before primary cancer treatment (such as surgery) to enhance the outcome of primary treatment
In certain breast cancer, neoadjuvant therapies reduce recurrences by 50 percent in some situations.—
Jen Waters
Jen WatersThe use of preoperative (neoadjuvant) chemotherapy before resection of the primary pulmonary tumor is controversial, and data are lacking to guide clinicians.—Michael Lanuti et al.
compare adjuvant entry 1 sense 2
Michael Lanuti et al.Examples of neoadjuvant in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The study, published in Nutrition and Cancer and newly making headlines this week, followed 80 women over 45 receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy at Botucatu School of Medicine, São Paulo State University.
—Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2026
The randomized clinical trial, published in Nutrition and Cancer and newly making headlines this week, followed 80 women over 45 undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy at Botucatu School of Medicine in Brazil.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
The randomized clinical trial, published in Nutrition and Cancer and newly making waves this week, followed 80 women over age 45 receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy at São Paulo State University in Brazil.
—Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 30 Apr. 2026
This strategy could be a promising neoadjuvant therapy prior to checkpoint blockades or other cancer therapies.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 July 2025
In addition to different surgical techniques, neoadjuvant chemotherapy or immunotherapy is now being used more often.
—Marla Anderson, Verywell Health, 8 July 2025
Once that initial treatment—known as neoadjuvant or pre-operative treatment—is done, surgery is then performed for people healthy enough to undergo it.
—Sayaka Blickenderfer, Phd, Health, 18 Sep. 2024
First would be eight rounds of neoadjuvant chemotherapy over about four months, before surgical extraction of the tumor.
—Paige Stables, Allure, 22 Nov. 2023
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Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2026
The randomized clinical trial, published in Nutrition and Cancer and newly making headlines this week, followed 80 women over 45 undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy at Botucatu School of Medicine in Brazil.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
The randomized clinical trial, published in Nutrition and Cancer and newly making waves this week, followed 80 women over age 45 receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy at São Paulo State University in Brazil.
—Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 30 Apr. 2026
This strategy could be a promising neoadjuvant therapy prior to checkpoint blockades or other cancer therapies.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 July 2025
In addition to different surgical techniques, neoadjuvant chemotherapy or immunotherapy is now being used more often.
—Marla Anderson, Verywell Health, 8 July 2025
Once that initial treatment—known as neoadjuvant or pre-operative treatment—is done, surgery is then performed for people healthy enough to undergo it.
—Sayaka Blickenderfer, Phd, Health, 18 Sep. 2024
First would be eight rounds of neoadjuvant chemotherapy over about four months, before surgical extraction of the tumor.
—Paige Stables, Allure, 22 Nov. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Neoadjuvant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/neoadjuvant. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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