melphalan

noun

mel·​pha·​lan ˈmel-fə-ˌlan How to pronounce melphalan (audio)
: an antineoplastic drug C13H18Cl2N2O2

Examples of melphalan in a Sentence

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His list of drugs included ketamine, propofol, hydromorphone, melphalan, fentanyl, topotecan, pentamidine, albuterol, prednisolone and aldosterone. Dayna Copeland, The Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2025 Only 5 percent of patients had a complete remission after the standard treatment – namely, a steroid and melphalan, an old chemotherapy derived from nitrogen mustard, used in chemical warfare. Marie McCullough, Philly.com, 17 Apr. 2018

Word History

Etymology

probably from methanol + phenylalanine

First Known Use

1968, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of melphalan was in 1968

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Cite this Entry

“Melphalan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/melphalan. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

Medical Definition

melphalan

noun
mel·​pha·​lan ˈmel-fə-ˌlan How to pronounce melphalan (audio)
: an antineoplastic drug C13H18Cl2N2O2 that is a derivative of nitrogen mustard and is used especially in the treatment of multiple myeloma

called also L-PAM, phenylalanine mustard, sarcolysin

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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