etoposide

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ONC-003026",
  "term": "etoposide",
  "field": "Oncology and biomedicine",
  "definitions": [
    "The active ingredient in a drug used with other drugs to treat small cell lung cancer and certain types of testicular cancer. It is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Etoposide blocks a certain enzyme needed for cell division and DNA repair, and it may kill cancer cells. It is a type of podophyllotoxin derivative and a type of topoisomerase inhibitor. Also called VP-16.",
    "A semisynthetic derivative of podophyllotoxin, a substance extracted from the mandrake root Podophyllum peltatum. Possessing potent antineoplastic properties, etoposide binds to and inhibits topoisomerase II and its function in ligating cleaved DNA molecules, resulting in the accumulation of single- or double-strand DNA breaks, the inhibition of DNA replication and transcription, and apoptotic cell death. Etoposide acts primarily in the G2 and S phases of the cell cycle."
  ],
  "abbreviation": "EPEG",
  "synonyms": [
    "VP-16",
    "demethyl epipodophyllotoxin ethylidine glucoside"
  ],
  "references": [
    "NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms",
    "National Cancer Institute Thesaurus"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/oncology/etoposide/"
}