mitomycin

noun

mi·​to·​my·​cin ˌmī-tə-ˈmī-sᵊn How to pronounce mitomycin (audio)
: a complex of antibiotic substances that is produced by a Japanese streptomyces (Streptomyces caespitosus)
especially : one form C15H18N4O5 that inhibits DNA synthesis and is used as an antineoplastic agent

Examples of mitomycin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Male mice in the study were exposed to one of three common anticancer drugs---cyclophosphamide, mitomycin C, or procarbazine---and then allowed to mate with untreated females. Sarah Zhang, Discover Magazine, 1 Feb. 2012 A shortage of the bladder-cancer drug BCG in 2014 and 2015 led to sharp price increases for a less effective alternative treatment, mitomycin, according to research published online Wednesday by the New England Journal of Medicine. Peter Loftus, WSJ, 12 Apr. 2017

Word History

Etymology

probably from mito- (taken as a combining form of mitosis) + -mycin

First Known Use

1956, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mitomycin was in 1956

Dictionary Entries Near mitomycin

Cite this Entry

“Mitomycin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mitomycin. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

mitomycin

noun
mi·​to·​my·​cin ˌmīt-ə-ˈmīs-ᵊn How to pronounce mitomycin (audio)
1
: a complex of antibiotic substances which is produced by a Japanese bacterium of the genus Streptomyces (S. caespitosus)
2
: a component C15H18N4O5 of mitomycin that inhibits DNA synthesis and is used as an antineoplastic in the palliative treatment of some carcinomas

called also mitomycin C

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