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Cytotoxic

By , About.com Guide

Updated February 17, 2013

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Definition:

Cytotoxic refers to a substance or process which results in cell damage or cell death.

With lung cancer, cytotoxic usually refers to the effect that a chemotherapy drug has on cancer cells. In this sense, a cytotoxic agent may be differentiated from one that is cytostatic. A cytostatic medication would in contrast inhibit cell division and growth but would not result in cell death directly.

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