PENTOSTATIN Meaning and
Definition
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Pentostatin is a noun that refers to a medication used in the treatment of certain types of cancer. It is specifically classified as an antineoplastic agent, meaning that it functions by inhibiting the growth or spread of cancer cells in the body. Pentostatin belongs to a class of drugs known as purine analogues, which are chemicals closely related to the substances naturally present in DNA and RNA.
This medication is primarily used in the management of hairy cell leukemia, a rare type of blood cancer. Hairy cell leukemia is characterized by the abnormal growth of B cells, a type of white blood cell. Pentostatin works by interfering with the activity of an enzyme called adenosine deaminase, which is responsible for breaking down certain purine molecules in the body. By inhibiting this enzyme, pentostatin stops the rapid division and accumulation of cancerous B cells, thereby reducing the overall number of cancer cells in the blood.
Pentostatin is typically administered as an intravenous (IV) infusion and is usually given in cycles, with each cycle lasting a few weeks. Common side effects of pentostatin include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, fever, and low blood cell counts. It is important for patients receiving this medication to be monitored closely and to report any unusual or severe side effects to their healthcare provider.
In summary, pentostatin is an antineoplastic agent used in the treatment of hairy cell leukemia, functioning by inhibiting the growth and spread of cancer cells in the body.
Common Misspellings for PENTOSTATIN
- oentostatin
- lentostatin
- -entostatin
- 0entostatin
- pwntostatin
- psntostatin
- pdntostatin
- prntostatin
- p4ntostatin
- p3ntostatin
- pebtostatin
- pemtostatin
- pejtostatin
- pehtostatin
- penrostatin
- penfostatin
- pengostatin
- penyostatin
- pen6ostatin
- pen5ostatin
Etymology of PENTOSTATIN
The word "Pentostatin" derives from a combination of two components: "Pento-" and "-statin".
The "pento-" component is derived from the Greek word "pentē", which means "five". It refers to the five-membered ring structure of the compound.
The "-statin" portion derives from the term "stative" or "statin", which is a suffix used in pharmacology to indicate an enzyme inhibitor. It was originally coined from "statis", a Greek word meaning "stop" or "stay".
Therefore, the etymology of "Pentostatin" can be understood as "a compound with a five-membered ring structure that inhibits or stops enzymes".
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