What it means
An antimetabolite antineoplastican-tee-nee-oh-PLAS-tikA drug used to treat cancer by killing cancer cells or stopping them from growing and dividing.anti- againstneo- newplas growth, formation-tic relating toFull entry , also called ara-C, used mainly for acute myeloid leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemiauh-KYOOT lim-foh-BLAS-tik loo-KEE-mee-uhA fast-growing cancer of the blood and bone marrow in which too many immature lymphocytes are made.Full entry and some lymphomas. It sharply lowers blood counts. High doses can affect the cerebellum (unsteady walking, slurred speech) and irritate the eyes.
For the nurse
Check blood counts, watch for infection and bleeding, and give steroid eye drops as ordered with high doses. Before each high dose, check handwriting, speech and walking, and report changes.
At a glance
| Drug class | antineoplastic (antimetabolite) |
|---|---|
| Also written | ara-C, cytosine arabinoside |
Related terms
antineoplastic
A drug used to treat cancer by killing cancer cells or stopping them from growing and dividing.
bone marrow
The soft, spongy tissue inside bones that makes blood cells.
acute lymphoblastic leukemia
A fast-growing cancer of the blood and bone marrow in which too many immature lymphocytes are made.