A nurse is caring for a client who is receiving adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery for colon cancer. The nurse should explain to the client that the purpose of this type of chemotherapy is to:

Choice A reason:

This is incorrect because shrinking the tumor before surgery and making it easier to remove is the purpose of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, not adjuvant chemotherapy. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is given before the primary treatment, while adjuvant chemotherapy is given after the primary treatment.

Choice B reason:

This is correct because eliminating any remaining cancer cells and preventing recurrence is the main goal of adjuvant chemotherapy. Adjuvant chemotherapy is given after the primary treatment, usually surgery, to lower the chance that the cancer will return and to improve the outcome of firstline treatment.

Choice C reason:

This is incorrect because inducing remission and reducing the tumor burden is the purpose of induction chemotherapy, not adjuvant chemotherapy. Induction chemotherapy is given as the firstline treatment to achieve a complete or partial response.

Choice D reason:

This is incorrect because relieving symptoms and improving quality of life is the purpose of palliative chemotherapy, not adjuvant chemotherapy. Palliative chemotherapy is given to patients with incurable or terminal cancer to reduce pain and suffering.

Choice A reason:

This is incorrect because cell cyclespecific chemotherapy drugs are drugs that act on cancer cells during specific phases of the cell cycle. They have a narrow spectrum of activity because they only affect cells that are actively dividing. Cell cyclespecific drugs are not necessarily used for neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Choice B reason:

This is incorrect because cell cyclenonspecific chemotherapy drugs are drugs that act on cancer cells regardless of their phase in the cell cycle. They have a broad spectrum of activity because they affect both dividing and nondividing cells. Cell cyclenonspecific drugs are not necessarily used for neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Choice C reason:

This is incorrect because cell cyclespecific chemotherapy drugs are drugs that act on cancer cells during specific phases of the cell cycle. They have a broad spectrum of activity because they affect both dividing and nondividing cells. Cell cyclespecific drugs are not necessarily used for neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Choice D reason:

This is incorrect because cell cyclenonspecific chemotherapy drugs are drugs that act on cancer cells regardless of their phase in the cell cycle. They have a narrow spectrum of activity because they only affect cells that are actively dividing. Cell cyclenonspecific drugs are not necessarily used for neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Choice E reason:

This is correct because neoadjuvant chemotherapy is treatment with drugs before the main treatment, usually surgery or radiation therapy, to shrink the tumor and improve the outcome of the main treatment. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy can also help with surgical planning and early treatment of microscopic metastatic foci. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is often given in combination with other modalities such as radiation or surgery.