What is an expected outcome of effective neoadjuvant therapy before surgery?

Neoadjuvant therapy is designed to shrink a tumor before surgical intervention. The primary goal of this approach is to reduce the size of the tumor, making it more manageable for surgical removal and potentially allowing for less extensive surgery. When effective, neoadjuvant therapy can lead to a significant reduction in tumor volume, which may result in a greater chance of complete resection and possibly enhance surgical outcomes.

While decreased surgical complications can be an indirect benefit of successful neoadjuvant therapy, the main and most direct expected outcome is the observable decrease in tumor size. Options discussing increased tumor size or immediate removal of all cancer cells do not align with the objectives of neoadjuvant treatment, as the therapy specifically aims to reduce the tumor size and does not guarantee the instant removal of all cancer cells.