Dictionary of Cancer Terms
View in Spanish: Antraciclina
Anthracycline (AN-thruh-SY-klin)
A type of antibiotic that comes from certain types of bacteria. Anthracyclines are used to treat many types of cancer. Anthracyclines damage the DNA in cancer cells, causing them to die. Daunorubicin, doxorubicin, and epirubicin are anthracyclines.
Source: National Cancer Institute Dictionary of Cancer Terms, available at www.cancer.gov/dictionary.