ara-C

[ ar-uh-see ]

noun

, Pharmacology.

1. cytarabine.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ara-C¹

Perhaps as abbreviation of the alternate name aracytidine, apparently a coinage based on the chemical name beta-cytosine arabinoside; cytosine, arabinoside

Example Sentences

A folder labelled “cancer stuff” contained a file called “treatment options,” with this list: cord-blood transplantation; mixed chimeric/mini-transplant—Cytoxan up front, ATG, radiation to the thymus; chemotherapy—azacitidine; full mismatched related transplant—full-body radiation, course of idarubicin/Ara-C preparatory to infusion of donor cells; haplo-identical transplant, T-cell depleted, full course of chemo and radiation.

From The New Yorker

During the April-May epidemic in Bangladesh, they gave ara-C by continuous-drip injection to nine victims.

From Time Magazine Archive