Definition

Noun A substance used to treat cancer by inhibiting or destroying malignant cells, typically administered as part of chemotherapy. These drugs often cause significant adverse effects.

Usage

This term is used in medical and oncological contexts to refer to pharmaceutical agents designed to combat cancer. * The oncologist prescribed a new antineoplastic drug for the patient's treatment regimen. * Research is focused on developing antineoplastic drugs with fewer side effects.

Advanced Usage

• As a modifier: The term can function attributively (like an adjective) to describe other nouns in medical literature.
  • The study evaluated the antineoplastic drug efficacy in vitro.

Variants and Related Words

• Antineoplastic (adjective): Having the effect of inhibiting or preventing the growth and spread of malignant cells.
  • The compound showed antineoplastic activity in the lab tests.
• Chemotherapeutic agent: A closely related synonym often used interchangeably in clinical settings.
• Cytotoxic drug: A broader term for drugs that kill cells, which includes many antineoplastic drugs.

Synonyms

Chemotherapeutic agent, cancer drug, cytotoxic agent, anticancer drug.

Related Terms (Not Phrasal Verbs)

• Adjuvant therapy: Treatment given after the primary therapy (like surgery) to kill remaining cancer cells, often involving antineoplastic drugs.
• Neoplasm: An abnormal new growth of tissue, which can be benign or malignant (cancerous). Antineoplastic drugs target malignant neoplasms.

Noun

1. any of several drugs that control or kill neoplastic cells; used in chemotherapy to kill cancer cells; all have unpleasant side effects that may include nausea and vomiting and hair loss and suppression of bone marrow function