vaccine adjuvant role The Latin "adjuvans" means to help, particularly to reach a goal. Adjuvant therapy for cancer is surgery followed by chemotherapy or radiation to help decrease the risk of the cancer recurring (coming back). An adjuvant is a substance that helps and enhances the pharmacological effect of a drug or increases the ability of an antigen to stimulate the immune system. an adjuvant role that inheres in a vaccine component which is added as part of a vaccine and induces enhanced adaptive immune response to the vaccine antigen. YH vaccine additive role