Skip to main content
An official website of the United States government

The BHFS Study (Better, Harder, Faster, Stronger): Does Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Improve Fitness for Surgery?

Trial Status: active

This study evaluates the fitness of patients who are receiving anti-cancer therapy followed by surgery (neoadjuvant therapy). Not all patients receive anti-cancer therapy before surgery; some complete surgery and then receive anti-cancer therapy. Receiving anti-cancer therapy first can decrease cancer-related side effects such as bloating and constipation, and by decreasing these cancer-related side effects, the general health of a patient should improve. Also, anti-cancer therapy can cause weakness and fatigue. Information gathered from this study may help researchers better understand how neoadjuvant therapy impacts recovery after surgery.