In some patients, the tumour may be very large, making surgery or radiation therapy difficult. Removing a large tumour could damage some of the healthy tissues in the affected organ. Shrinking the tumour before the operation allows the surgeon to protect the healthy tissues. The drugs can travel through the blood vessels to the tumour more easily before surgery. With upfront or induction chemotherapy, the operation will be less stressful and recovery will be easier.
The surgeon can also measure how the tumour responds to chemotherapy if it is given before other treatments. Knowing how the patient responds to the drugs is important because not all chemotherapy drugs work the same for all patients. If the drugs do not work as well, or cause unwanted side effects, your doctor can recommend a different drug for treatment.