anthracycline

Definition / meaning of anthracycline

A type of antibiotic that comes from certain types of Streptomyces bacteria. Anthracyclines are used to treat many types of cancer. Anthracyclines damage the DNA in cancer cells, causing them to die. Daunorubicin, doxorubicin, and epirubicin are anthracyclines.

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Source(s):

The Web site of the National Cancer Institute (http://www.cancer.gov/)

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