High doses of chemotherapy are typically administered in which context?

High doses of chemotherapy are typically administered in the context of conditioning therapy. This approach is often used in preparation for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation or bone marrow transplantation. The primary goal is to eliminate the patient's existing bone marrow and any malignant cells before the infusion of stem cells.

Conditioning therapy utilizes high doses of chemotherapy to achieve this goal by creating a favorable environment for the new stem cells to engraft and re-establish healthy blood cell production. This intensive regimen is essential for maximizing the chances of successful transplantation and recovery from certain types of cancer, particularly hematological malignancies like leukemia or lymphoma.

In contrast, adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapies usually involve administering chemotherapy at lower doses to either complement surgery in treating early-stage cancer or shrink tumors before surgical intervention. Supportive care focuses on managing symptoms and side effects of cancer and its treatment, rather than using chemotherapy to directly treat the cancer itself. Hence, these contexts do not typically require the high doses associated with conditioning therapy.