Plicamycin
Plicamycin
Plicamycin (pronounced as pli-ka-MY-sin), also known as mithramycin, is a chemotherapy drug used in the treatment of various types of cancer. It belongs to the family of drugs called antitumor antibiotics.
Etymology
The term 'Plicamycin' is derived from the Latin word 'plica', meaning 'fold', and 'mycin', a common suffix for antibiotics derived from Streptomyces species. The name reflects the drug's ability to interfere with the DNA in cancer cells, causing them to fold and eventually die.
Usage
Plicamycin is used to treat testicular cancer, certain types of leukemia, and hypercalcemia (high levels of calcium in the blood) that is caused by cancer. It works by slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells in the body.
Side Effects
Like all chemotherapy drugs, Plicamycin can cause side effects, some of which are severe. These may include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and hair loss. More serious side effects can include anemia, bleeding, and infection due to the decrease in blood cells.
Related Terms
- Chemotherapy
- Antitumor antibiotic
- Testicular cancer
- Leukemia
- Hypercalcemia
- Streptomyces
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Hair loss
- Anemia
- Bleeding
- Infection
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Plicamycin
- Wikipedia's article - Plicamycin
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